Tryst again with ballots in Karnataka: ‘Restoring trust’ or ‘regressing to past’?

Bengaluru: The state election commission’s (SEC) decision to use ballot papers instead of electronic voting machines (EVMs) for all upcoming local body elections has triggered a sharp political debate, with the ruling Congress defending the move as “one that restores public trust” and the BJP terming it “regressive”.

The most-discussed election is in the state capital where five municipalities under Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) need to go to polls before June 30, as per a Supreme Court directive. An estimated 88.91 lakh voters across 369 wards are expected to cast their votes.

In September 2025, the Cabinet favoured ballot papers for local body elections. The SEC later clarified that the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act permitted the use of either ballot papers or EVMs.

Karnataka Congress incharge Randeep Singh Surjewala welcomed the move as a “bold decision” that would enhance transparency and restore voter confidence. He linked it to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s long-standing demand for greater scrutiny of EVMs and the party’s “vote chori” campaign.

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi criticised the switch, calling it a step backwards.

“Karnataka is a pioneer of the EVM revolution. Bengaluru was among the first cities where EVMs were used experimentally in the 1980s, and the state formally adopted them in the 1990s. The Congress government is now obstructing progress,” he said.

India’s transition to EVMs began in 1982, and they were deployed nationwide by the 2004 Lok Sabha elections to curb booth capturing, ballot stuffing and invalid votes.

In a 2013 judgment, the Supreme Court directed the phased introduction of VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail) to enhance transparency, without questioning the validity of EVMs. In 2024, the apex court rejected pleas for a return to full paper ballots and reaffirmed confidence in the EVM system, while expanding VVPAT verification in select booths.

While EVMs remain mandatory for Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, state election commissions have the discretion to choose the mode of voting for local body polls under state laws.

The debate has revived arguments from the ballot era, when invalid votes in some constituencies exceeded 2% — sometimes more than the victory margin in closely contested wards.

The stakes are high in what is being dubbed the “Battle for Bengaluru”. The BJP currently holds 16 of the city’s 28 Assembly seats and all four parliamentary constituencies.

The party has appointed Ram Madhav as incharge for the GBA polls, while the Congress has tasked five ministers with overseeing preparations in each corporation.

Civic issues such as crumbling infrastructure, governance concerns, corruption allegations and hikes in property tax and user fees are expected to dominate the campaign.

For the SEC, the immediate challenge is logistical. State election commissioner G S Sangreshi acknowledged that while ballot papers are legally permissible, the financial and administrative implications are significant. Printing, transportation, secure storage and deployment of counting personnel will entail considerable expenditure. EVMs, though expensive to procure, involve lower recurring costs and faster counting. Officials estimate that the GBA elections could cost around Rs 220 crore and require over 50,000 election staff, with 4-5 personnel per booth across 8,044 polling stations.

The final electoral roll (same as Assembly voter list), will be notified after revision on March 30. The state government must also notify ward reservations before February 22.

The SEC plans to conduct extensive SVEEP (Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation) campaigns and training sessions for officials.

BJP leader and former corporator N R Ramesh said counting paper ballots could significantly delay results.

“EVM results are available within hours. Paper ballots can take 16-18 hours or even days in multi-cornered contests common in civic polls,” he said, warning of potential legal hurdles with PILs pending in court against the constitutional validity of the GBA. 

On the other hand, Kathyayini Chamaraj, executive trustee of Civic Bangalore, argued that while 100% VVPAT coverage would have been ideal, ballot papers boost voter confidence in the system.

VVPAT slips

“EVMs have lost credibility because VVPAT slips are not provided for every vote cast. VVPAT allows voters to verify if their vote has been recorded properly. The EC also releases only percentage turnout on counting day, not the absolute number of votes polled, which creates mistrust,” she said.

Activists contend that paper ballots create a physical record that can be scrutinised during counting and form the basis for legal challenges or demands for re-polling. They also point out that CCTV surveillance, webcasting, central forces deployment and party-appointed booth agents have significantly reduced the risk of large-scale booth capturing.

Supporters of EVMs, however, maintain that the machines eliminate invalid votes, reduce counting time and minimise the scope for manipulation through ballot stuffing or rigging.

Whether the return to ballot papers in India’s technology capital strengthens public confidence or complicates electoral management will only become evident once votes are counted — manually.