The US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by billionaire Elon Musk, on Sunday, February 16, announced the cancellation of a USD 21 million grant that was allocated for "voter turnout in India" through the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS). DOGE did not specify which Indian entity used to receive the funds. The decision has triggered a political row, with BJP leaders Amit Malviya and Rajeev Chandrasekhar accusing the Congress of allowing foreign influence in India's electoral process.
In a statement on X, DOGE listed a series of cancelled grants, including USD 486 million to CEPPS, of which USD 43 million was meant for Moldova and India. The Department has not offered any clarity regarding who received the funds, or what exactly it facilitated to influence voter turnout in India.
The news has also reignited debates over a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in 2012 between the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), a partner of CEPPS.
BJP’s AmitMalviya accused the Congress of "handing over the entire Election Commission of India to foreign operators" through the agreement. He also termed the grant a case of "external interference" in India’s elections. "Who gains from this? Not the ruling party for sure!" he said.
Former Union minister and BJP MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar echoed similar sentiments, arguing that such a grant was a "smoking gun of interference and undermining of democracies".
Responding to the accusations against the ECI, former Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi clarified that the MoU was aimed at facilitating training through ECI’s India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIDEM), similar to agreements with other election bodies worldwide.
The cancellation of the US grant comes amid a broader rollback of USAID-funded programmes under President Donald Trump’s administration, with DOGE cutting multiple initiatives supported by previous governments.