'Ballot is stronger than bullet': Karnataka SEC OKs ballots in Bengaluru civic elections; law allows it, says state poll chief

BENGALURU: The State Election Commission (SEC) Monday announced that ballot papers - and not EVMs - will be used in upcoming elections to Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), ignoring BJP's request for EVMs.State Election Commissioner GS Sangreshi told TOI that both EVMs and ballot papers are best practices in their own right, but it was SEC's decision to use ballots. "There is a legislation that allows SEC to choose between ballot papers and EVM. Based on our own studies as an independent body, we chose the ballot," he said. EVMs have been used only in two Bengaluru civic elections - in 2010 and 2015.The announcement came after SEC and GBA released draft electoral rolls. R Ramachandran, special commissioner (elections), GBA, said there were nearly 89 lakh electors in the five corporations. The final electoral rolls are expected by March 16. The SEC said elections could be conducted after May 25.It is no secret Congress has been protesting the use of EVMs at the national level. In April 2025, the Karnataka cabinet recommended that the SEC switch to ballot papers for local body polls in the state. The Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024, allows elections to the five municipal corporations to be conducted either through ballots or EVMs.Bengaluru development minister and KPCC president DK Shivakumar said the ballot decision was that of SEC, which is an independent body. “What’s wrong with that? Ballot is stronger than bullet. Let the elections happen. The important thing is that there must be voting, the rest is the SEC’s decision.” Citing the legislation introduced by the BJP govt in 2020 that allows for use of ballot papers in elections, he said: “We are taking it forward. There is nothing wrong with using ballot papers. The SEC will work within the legal framework.”Sangreshi rejected the argument that ballot papers are time-consuming and said such concerns cannot override democratic principles. “Ballot papers are used in almost all local body elections. We cannot dismiss them simply because they may take more time. That argument is not valid in democracy. Ballot papers allow voters to clearly see and understand whom they are voting for without depending on any other mechanism,” he said.