(Image source from: PTI)
A survey commissioned by the Congress-led Karnataka government regarding the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 has indicated a significant level of public confidence in Electronic Voting Machines, which has led the Bharatiya Janata Party to respond to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who has consistently doubted the reliability of the electoral system. The study, named Evaluation of Endline Survey of KAP of Citizens, revealed that 83.61% of participants believe EVMs are dependable. In total, 69.39% of those surveyed felt that EVMs deliver precise results, while 14.22% agreed strongly. The survey included 5,100 participants from 102 Assembly constituencies in Bengaluru, Belagavi, Kalaburagi, and Mysuru and was conducted by the Government of Karnataka through Chief Electoral Officer V Anbukumar.
Looking at the data division by division, Kalaburagi showed the most trust, with 83.24% agreeing and 11.24% strongly agreeing that EVMs are trustworthy. Mysuru was next with 70.67% agreeing and 17.92% strongly agreeing. Belagavi had 63.90% in agreement and 21.43% strongly agreeing, while Bengaluru division had the least strong agreement at 9.28%, although 63.67% still agreed. Neutral responses were highest in Bengaluru at 15.67%, much greater than in the other areas. Rahul Gandhi has continuously criticized the BJP and the Election Commission of India regarding alleged EVM tampering and “vote theft” during elections. In response to the survey results, BJP Karnataka Opposition Leader R Ashok took to X to state: “For years, Rahul Gandhi has traveled across the nation spreading one narrative: that India’s democracy is ‘in trouble’, that EVMs are ‘untrustworthy’, and that our institutions are unreliable. However, Karnataka has just shared a very different narrative. ”
The BJP asserted that the survey throughout the state demonstrated that “people have faith in elections, people have faith in EVMs, and people have faith in India’s democratic system," calling the results "a wake-up call for Congress. ” The statement also criticized the Congress-led state government under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for choosing to conduct local body elections using paper ballots. “In spite of this evident public trust, the Congress government led by CM Siddaramaiah opts to take Karnataka backward by announcing local body elections through paper ballots, bringing back a system known for abuse, delays, and corruption,” it stated. The BJP further claimed that Congress only questions institutions when it loses, while celebrating the same systems when it wins, adding, “This isn't principled politics. This is opportunistic politics. And no amount of made-up stories can conceal that reality any longer. ”
