Karnataka Returns to Paper Ballots After 25 Years

Karnataka will return to using paper ballots for the upcoming Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) elections, marking a major change in its voting process after 25 years of using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

The State Election Commission (SEC) recently announced that EVMs will not be used in the local body elections scheduled later this year. The decision came after the state cabinet recommended a switch back to paper ballots.

According to officials, the move was taken due to concerns over mistakes in voter rolls and a decline in public trust in EVMs. They believe paper ballots may help increase transparency and confidence among voters.

However, the opposition BJP has criticised the decision. The party called the return to paper ballots “backwards” and described them as outdated compared to modern electronic voting systems.

With this change, Karnataka will conduct elections using traditional ballot papers and manual counting for the first time in more than two decades.