D K Suresh says ballot papers ‘not needed’ for Karnataka local body elections

Congress leader DK Suresh expressed scepticism about the need for ballot papers in upcoming Bengaluru local body elections.

Congress leader D K Suresh on Tuesday expressed reservations over the decision to hold local body elections in Karnataka using ballot papers, saying he felt it was "not needed".

DK Suresh

Suresh, who is also the brother of Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress president D K Shivakumar, however, said it was for the party high command to decide whether it was appropriate to "step back" after having "gone a step ahead" with the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

His remarks appear to differ from the official stand of the Congress government in Karnataka, which in September last year decided to recommend to the State Election Commission (SEC) that future panchayat and urban local body elections be conducted using ballot papers instead of EVMs, citing erosion of public confidence in electronic voting.

"I feel it is not needed. These elections are conducted by the Karnataka State Election Commission and cannot be distorted. We had gone a step ahead by using EVMs. After going ahead, whether stepping back is right or wrong has to be decided by the party high command," Suresh told reporters in response to a question.

He declined to comment further on the issue.

On Monday, Karnataka State Election Commissioner G S Sangreshi said elections to the five city corporations under the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) would be held after May 25 using ballot papers.

He also said elections to zilla and taluk panchayats, expected later this year, would also be conducted with ballot papers.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka criticised the decision, calling it an "absolute disgrace".

"Even after their own government’s survey confirmed that people trust EVMs, the Karnataka Congress government has chosen to revert to paper ballots. This is not about reform or fairness; this is about fear and political insecurity," Ashoka said in a post on 'X'.

Referring to Bengaluru as India’s technology capital, he said, "The city that houses BEL, the manufacturer of India’s EVMs, is being dragged backwards under Congress rule."

Ashoka further alleged that governments lacking public confidence seek to "undermine institutions and alter rules in anticipation of defeat."