News Desk – A survey commissioned by the Congress-led Karnataka government after the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 has found that a large majority of people trust Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The findings have given the BJP fresh ammunition to counter Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who has often questioned the fairness of elections and the reliability of EVMs.
The survey, titled Evaluation of Endline Survey of KAP (Knowledge, Attitude and Practice) of Citizens, showed that 83.61% of respondents said they trust EVMs. Among them, 69.39% agreed and 14.22% strongly agreed that EVMs give accurate election results.
The survey covered 5,100 people across 102 Assembly constituencies in four divisions Bengaluru, Belagavi, Kalaburagi and Mysuru. It was carried out under the supervision of Karnataka’s Chief Electoral Officer, V Anbukumar.
Division-wise Results
Kalaburagi recorded the highest trust, with 83.24% agreeing and 11.24% strongly agreeing that EVMs are reliable.
Mysuru followed, where 70.67% agreed and 17.92% strongly agreed.
In Belagavi, 63.90% agreed and 21.43% strongly agreed.
Bengaluru showed comparatively lower confidence, with 63.67% agreeing and 9.28% strongly agreeing. It also had the highest number of neutral responses at 15.67%.
Political Reactions
Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly accused the BJP and the Election Commission of alleged EVM manipulation and “vote theft”.
Reacting to the survey, BJP Karnataka Leader of Opposition R Ashok said the results clearly contradict Gandhi’s claims. In a post on X, he said that while Rahul Gandhi has travelled across the country questioning democracy and EVMs, “Karnataka has told a very different story.”
The BJP said the survey proves that people trust elections, EVMs, and India’s democratic system, calling the findings a strong rebuttal to Congress’s narrative.
The party also criticised the Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government for deciding to conduct local body elections using ballot papers instead of EVMs. The BJP said this move takes the state backward, calling ballot papers a system linked to delays and misuse.
The BJP further accused the Congress of questioning institutions only when it loses elections and trusting the same system when it wins, calling it “convenient politics”.
The survey results have added fresh fuel to the ongoing political debate over election credibility and the use of EVMs in India.
