Karnataka Plans to Use Ballot Papers for Local Elections, Not EVMs
In a move that has sparked discussion across Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced that his government prefers to hold elections with traditional ballot papers instead of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). He said the decision is based on their experience and observations from other countries.
During a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah explained that many nations which once used EVMs have now switched back to ballot papers for their elections. This suggests the government’s confidence in the simplicity and reliability of paper ballots.
The Chief Minister also addressed a recent complaint from seers — religious leaders — who asked the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, to hand over the Dharmasthala case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Siddaramaiah assured that the Karnataka government has already formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT), made up of police officials, to look into it.
Meanwhile, the BJP criticized Karnataka’s decision to shift from EVMs to ballot papers for local body elections. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar responded by questioning why the BJP was troubled by this move. He pointed out that the Congress government in Karnataka has the legal authority to decide how elections are conducted, and that the legislation allowing a return to ballot papers was brought into law when the BJP was in power. Shivakumar said, “We have legal provisions for this, and I can show the documents.”
The State Election Commission (SEC) also expressed readiness for the new plan. State Election Commissioner G.S. Sangreshi said that conducting elections with ballot papers isn’t a problem. He explained that if the government drafts the necessary laws and guidelines, the SEC is prepared to implement them. He added that in rural areas, voters are already familiar with ballot papers, as they’ve been used for Gram Panchayat elections for the last 20-25 years. Therefore, switching back to paper ballots shouldn’t cause any issues.
However, the decision has not been welcomed by everyone. The BJP criticized the move, alleging that the Congress government’s plan to replace EVMs with ballot papers indicates that their rise to power may have involved electoral fraud. They claimed this change highlights concerns over the fairness of elections.
The Karnataka cabinet, led by Congress, decided on Thursday to recommend legal amendments to allow elections with ballot papers instead of EVMs for upcoming local elections. Law Minister H.K. Patil said the government will work on framing new rules to make this happen. He explained that the revised process will include updating the voters’ list to ensure accurate and reliable elections.
This decision marks a significant shift in Karnataka’s electoral process and is likely to influence how local elections are conducted in the state in the coming months.
