Mumbai: The Karnataka Cabinet’s recent recommendation to conduct upcoming panchayat and urban local body elections using ballot paper instead of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) has triggered a fresh round of political debate. Union Minister Ramdas Athawale, reacting strongly to the development, said the move undermines the authority of the Election Commission of India.
Speaking on the issue, Athawale remarked, “If votes are being stolen, then you go to the Election Commission and tell them. I do not agree with the state government's announcement to conduct the municipal elections on ballot paper because the Congress party itself brought the EVM machine. We have no objection to ballot paper either, but the state government probably does not have that right. They will have to take permission from the Election Commission.”
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale also spoke about vote chori allegations put forward by the Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, stating, "When your party (Indian National Congress) was in power for 60-70 years, was the 'Vote chori' not happening then?"
The ballot vs EVM debate gained fresh momentum after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi repeatedly alleged “vote chori” (vote theft) during the Lok Sabha elections. Gandhi and several opposition leaders have claimed that EVMs are vulnerable to manipulation, questioning the credibility of the poll process. These allegations have emboldened state governments led by Congress to revisit ballot-based voting for local elections, presenting it as a way to restore voter confidence.
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Other political voices have also weighed in. BJP leaders in Karnataka have slammed the Cabinet’s recommendation, calling it an attempt to deflect from governance failures. On the other hand, JD(S) leaders have supported greater transparency measures but stopped short of endorsing a complete shift to ballot papers.
The Election Commission of India has so far maintained that EVMs are tamper-proof and remain the most reliable and efficient mode of conducting elections in the world’s largest democracy. With Karnataka pushing for ballot paper, the final call now rests with the Election Commission, which holds the constitutional authority on election conduct.
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