Congress MP Manickam Tagore has credited former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh for India’s Aadhaar platform after US President Donald Trump referenced India’s voter ID system in his executive order on US election reforms.
“We all know that when Aadhaar card was introduced by Dr Manmohan Singh’s government, PM Modi criticised the Aadhaar platform. He raised many questions about the platform. In 2013 also, when he was speaking in public meetings, he criticised Aadhaar – but Aadhaar was the base for all these things,” Tagore stated.
He further praised Singh’s “visionary leadership”, adding, “US President Donald Trump’s praise for Aadhaar is the praise for the visionary leadership of Dr Manmohan Singh.”
Trump’s Election Reform Order
Trump signed the executive order on Tuesday, aiming to strengthen US election security with measures similar to those in India, Brazil, Germany, and Canada. The order highlights how these countries use biometric voter IDs, paper ballots, and stricter mail-in voting rules to ensure election integrity.
The order mandates that:
- The Election Assistance Commission update voter registration forms within 30 days, requiring proof of citizenship such as a passport or REAL ID.
- State and local officials maintain detailed records of these documents.
- The Secretary of Homeland Security will provide free access to federal citizenship verification databases.
- The Secretary of State will share database information to help identify ineligible voters.
- Federal agencies must verify citizenship before distributing voter registration forms under the National Voter Registration Act.
The reforms aim to ensure that only eligible US citizens participate in federal elections and align US election security with global standards.