'Slap on...Congress's face': BJP as survey shows majority trust EVMs
What's the story
A survey commissioned by the Congress-led Karnataka government on the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections has found that a majority of respondents trust Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The survey, titled "Evaluation of Endline Survey of KAP (Knowledge, Attitude and Practice) of Citizens," found that 83.61% of respondents considered EVMs trustworthy. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has used these findings to counter Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's claims about electoral fraud using EVMs.
Survey insights
Survey details and regional trust in EVMs
The survey covered 5,100 respondents across 102 Assembly constituencies in Bengaluru, Belagavi, Kalaburagi, and Mysuru. It was commissioned by the Karnataka government under Chief Electoral Officer V Anbukumar. The highest trust in EVMs was found in Kalaburagi, with 83.24% agreeing on their reliability. Mysuru followed closely with 70.67% trusting EVMs, while Belagavi recorded a lower trust level at 63.90%. Overall, 69.39% of respondents felt that EVMs produce accurate outcomes, with 14.22% strongly agreeing.
Political backlash
BJP criticizes Congress-led government for ballot paper elections
Reacting to the survey findings, BJP Karnataka Leader of Opposition, R Ashok, posted on X, "For years, Rahul Gandhi has travelled the country telling one story: that India's democracy is 'in danger,'....But Karnataka has just told a very different story." The BJP also slammed the Karnataka government for opting to conduct local body elections through ballot papers, despite the survey's findings. The party accused CM Siddaramaiah's government of taking Karnataka backward by reviving a system known for manipulation and delays.
Response
Congress party also reacts
The Congress party has also reacted to the findings, but with skepticism. Karnataka IT Minister Priyank Kharge told NDTV that the agency that conducted the survey was not sanctioned by the state government. "Apparently the Election Commission requested the State Election Commission...sought the help of an NGO which is run by Balakrishnan or Balasubramanian who...happens to be the author of a book for the Prime Minister and works with the PM's Office very closely. What do you expect?"