Karnataka Elections to Go Back to Ballot Papers After May 25: Election Commissioner
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The Karnataka State Election Commissioner, GS Sangreshi, announced on Monday that the upcoming polls for the five city corporations under the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) will be held after May 25, using ballot papers instead of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). This decision comes after the state cabinet recommended revising the voters' list and holding all local body polls using ballot papers in September 2025. The decision has sparked controversy, with some politicians questioning the shift to ballot papers. However, Sangreshi defended the move, stating that there is no law that prohibits the use of ballot papers. He added that developed countries like the US also use ballot papers for their elections. The move has been met with skepticism by some, with political analyst Sandeep Shastri calling it a step backwards. 'There is no authentic evidence to show that EVMs can be manipulated, though they can surely malfunction,' he said. 'The old ballot paper will surely make the counting process longer and we will need to also keep in mind that there can be invalid votes.' The polls are expected to be held after the SSLC and PUC examinations are over, with 8,044 polling booths identified across the five corporations. The Bengaluru West corporation has the highest number of voters, with 2.725 million residents eligible to cast their ballots. The decision has also been linked to a recent protest by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi against alleged 'vote theft' in the Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha constituency. However, the state government has defended the move, saying that the Election Commission is an independent authority that can take decisions on how elections should be conducted. The polls for the zilla and taluka panchayat are also expected to be held using ballot papers, with the state government promising to ensure free and fair elections. The counting process is expected to be longer due to the use of ballot papers, but the exact dates for the polls are yet to be announced.
