Ballot Paper Return: Siddaramaiah, DKS Cite Global Examples to Justify Move

Quick Summary:

• The Karnataka Cabinet has approved the reintroduction of ballot papers for local body elections, discarding electronic voting machines (EVMs).
• Chief Minister Siddaramaiah justified the decision by citing past experiences and examples of countries reverting to paper ballots.
• Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar defended the move, stating that laws allow either EVMs or ballot papers.
• The Congress government claims previous elections were marred by malpractice and suggests paper ballots enhance election integrity.
• BJP leaders have criticized the decision as “regressive,” accusing Congress of planning “vote theft” and insulting voters who are accustomed to technology.
• Bengaluru was an early adopter of evms in India, with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) playing a pioneering role in their progress. BEL has also exported EVMs internationally.

Indian Opinion Analysis:

The decision to revert to ballot papers has reignited debates over election openness versus technological efficiency.While proponents argue for better accountability and fairness through the conventional system, detractors view it as a step backward that undermines decades of progress in modernizing India’s electoral process. This shift could increase administrative complexities during elections at local levels while potentially slowing down vote counting times.

The accusations from both sides highlight underlying political tensions around trust in electoral systems rather than objective analysis of their effectiveness. For India-widely regarded as one of the world’s largest democracies-the most significant implication may lie within its portrayal on global platforms: whether leaning towards technological sophistication with EVMs or revisiting tried-and-tested systems like paper ballots reflects evolving priorities in ensuring free and fair elections.

Read more: The Hindu