Ballot Papers to Replace EVMs in Bengaluru Civic Polls, SEC Announces
The Karnataka State Election Commission made a significant announcement on Monday. It declared that upcoming elections for the five city corporations under the Greater Bengaluru Authority will use traditional ballot papers. These polls are scheduled to occur after May 25 this year.
SEC Commissioner Explains the Decision
SEC Commissioner G S Sangreshi addressed the media during a news conference. He stated there was no specific reason for choosing ballot papers over Electronic Voting Machines. "We have two established practices," Sangreshi explained. "Ballot papers have been in use since the beginning. For the last two to three decades, EVMs have also been employed. No Act or Supreme Court order prohibits the use of ballot papers."
Sangreshi emphasized that using ballot papers represents an old procedure. He noted that developed nations like the United States still utilize them. In Karnataka, ballot papers continue for all elections except Assembly and Lok Sabha polls. This includes gram panchayat and cooperative elections.
Legal Basis and Stakeholder Consultation
The Commissioner pointed to a specific provision in the Greater Bengaluru Authority Act. This provision permits conducting polls with either EVMs or ballot papers. The SEC reached its decision after consulting with all stakeholders. Sangreshi clarified that the state Cabinet's recommendation from April last year did not influence the SEC's independent call.
He recalled that EVMs first appeared in Bengaluru civic body elections back in 1996. This made Bengaluru one of the earliest urban bodies to adopt electronic voting machines.
Voter Statistics and Ward Details
R Ramachandran, Special Commissioner for Elections with the GBA, provided detailed voter data. The five corporations collectively have 88,91,411 registered voters. This breaks down into:
- 45,69,193 male voters
- 45,20,583 female voters
- 1,635 voters registered as others
Authorities have identified 8,044 polling booths across the region. Among the five corporations, Bengaluru West leads with 112 wards and 27.25 lakh voters. Bengaluru North and South each contain 72 wards, with populations of 19.54 lakh and 17.44 lakh respectively. Bengaluru Central has 63 wards and 14.25 lakh voters, while Bengaluru East comprises 50 wards with 10.41 lakh voters.
Within the 369 wards under GBA limits, Ward 23 of Bengaluru West City Corporation holds the highest number of voters. Conversely, Ward 16 of Bengaluru East City Corporation has the fewest, with just 10,926 voters.
Ramachandran cautioned that these voter numbers remain subject to revision. Booth Level Officers will continue verifying voters, leading to potential additions and deletions before the final tally.
