Karnataka tables Bill for ballot paper voting in Panchayat elections

BENGALURU: THE Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Bill was tabled in the Assembly on Tuesday. The Bill ensures the conduct of elections to rural local authorities (panchayats) using ballot papers. The decision to hold these elections using ballot papers was earlier approved by the Karnataka cabinet.

According to the Bill, the decision of the Karnataka government to revert to paper ballots for local body elections, in response to concerns about EVM credibility and voter privacy, reflects a growing consensus on the need to strengthen the electoral mechanism that prioritises anonymity and transparency.

“The Bill is necessary to ensure the secrecy of the ballot and protect voters from coercion, intimidation and undue influence, thereby safeguarding the sanctity of the democratic process,” the Bill states.

It also stated that some concerns have been raised regarding the functioning of EVMs, necessitating a return to a robust secret ballot paper system to restore public trust. The bill proposes to omit voting machines.

Three more bills were also tabled in the Assembly on Tuesday — Karnataka Police Amendment Bill, Karnataka Lokayukta (Amendment) Bill 2026 and Karnataka Jnana Bhandar Manuscripts and Digitisation Bill 2026.