Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has recommended that all future local body elections in the state be conducted using ballot papers instead of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The move, officials said on Thursday, comes in response to growing public concerns that EVMs are “losing trustworthiness.”
Cabinet decision
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil announced that the state cabinet has formally decided to recommend scrapping EVMs for panchayat and municipal elections.
“Of late, citizens have noticed variations in electoral rolls. Many complaints have been lodged. EVMs are losing trustworthiness. In this backdrop, the Cabinet has decided to recommend doing away with EVMs for local body polls,” Patil said.
The decision reflects a larger sentiment among political parties and voters who have questioned the reliability and transparency of EVMs, especially in close contests.
Legal framework and SEC role
Patil clarified that the State Election Commission (SEC), which conducts local body polls under state law, is an independent constitutional body. However, once the government frames the necessary rules and makes legal changes, the SEC will be bound to follow them.
“In the next 15 days, all rules and necessary legal changes will be made. This is our recommendation, and once formalised, it will be binding on the SEC to follow,” the minister said.
Political and public context
The move is significant as Karnataka would be among the first states in recent years to officially push for a return to ballot papers. While EVMs are widely used in parliamentary and assembly elections across India, concerns about tampering, glitches, and voter distrust have led to calls for reintroducing paper-based voting in certain contexts.
Critics argue that reverting to ballot papers could reintroduce issues such as booth capturing and counting delays, which EVMs were designed to eliminate. However, supporters of the shift say transparency and voter confidence outweigh such risks.
What lies ahead
The state government’s recommendation now awaits the framing of new rules, expected within two weeks. Once adopted, upcoming panchayat and municipal elections in Karnataka would likely be conducted with paper ballots instead of machines.
The development comes at a time when debates around electoral reforms and voter trust are intensifying nationwide, with Karnataka positioning itself at the centre of this shift.