Ballot for GBA elections State Election Commissioner G.S. Sangreshi's statement

Ballot Papers to Be Used in GBA Elections: State Election Commissioner
Bengaluru

State Election Commissioner G.S. Sangreshi has announced that ballot papers will be used instead of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in the upcoming elections to five municipal corporations coming under the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA). The decision will also apply to Panchayat elections.
For the past two to three decades, elections across the country have largely been conducted using EVMs. Against this background, the State Election Commission’s decision to revert to ballot papers has drawn attention and sparked political discussion.
The move comes amid allegations raised by the Congress party regarding vote theft, which has intensified the political debate surrounding the election process.
Clarifying the Commission’s authority, Sangreshi stated that the State Election Commission is an independent constitutional body and has the power to decide the mode of voting. He pointed out that the legal provision allowing the use of ballot papers was introduced in 2020, during the tenure of the BJP government.
Reacting to the decision, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said that the government is only continuing what is already permitted under the law.
“The right to vote is more important than the method used to conduct elections,” he said.

Reporter
Karnataka, Bengaluru
S V Shivananda