E-Paper
Karnataka cabinet approves ballots for panchayat, civic polls
Karnataka will revert to paper ballots for local elections, enhancing trust amid EVM concerns, while also using AI to combat misinformation online.
The Karnataka government has approved a major change to the way local elections will be conducted, deciding that upcoming civic and panchayat polls will use paper ballots rather than Electronic Voting Machines, according to the Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs.
The decision, cleared at a State Cabinet meeting led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, applies to elections for the Greater Bengaluru Authority and for rural local bodies, including Zilla Panchayats and Taluk Panchayats. Ministers described the move as an effort to reinforce public trust in the electoral process.
H.K. Patil, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, said the shift followed persistent public concerns about voting technology. “There has been a consistent demand and a visible erosion of credibility and confidence in EVMs. To ensure that the democratic process remains transparent and trusted by every citizen, the Cabinet has recommended reverting to ballot papers,” Patil said.
To implement the change, the government will amend the Karnataka Conduct of Election Rules. Officials said the revisions would be introduced within 15 days. After the amendments are formalized, the State Election Commission will be required to conduct the specified local body elections using ballot papers under the revised framework.
The decision covers both urban and rural tiers of governance, including Bengaluru’s civic administration, and marks a structural alteration in voting procedures at these levels. State officials framed the shift as procedural, tied to election administration rather than broader electoral reforms.
In a separate move at the same cabinet meeting, the state approved a plan to use artificial intelligence systems to track and curb the spread of misinformation on social media platforms. Ministers discussed what they described as the growing circulation of fabricated and misleading content online and its effect on public discourse.
According to officials, the initiative is intended to detect patterns associated with false or misleading information through digital monitoring tools. Artificial intelligence systems will analyse social media activity to identify suspect content at an early stage.
Under the proposed mechanism, authorities will receive real-time alerts when content believed to be false begins to circulate widely. The alerts are expected to enable quicker responses and steps aimed at limiting further dissemination.
Officials said the monitoring effort forms part of a broader strategy to regulate harmful digital content and address social polarization linked to misinformation. .
