Sidda Greenlights Paper Ballots

The 'vote chori' chorus raises its pitch. Karnataka to ditch EVMs and revise voter rolls for local body polls

- By Ajay Sukumaran

BALLOT PAPER, NOT EVM. That's the line Karnataka's ruling Congress is now toeing. It may be a leap across a tangent from Rahul Gandhi’s expose—of ‘vote chori’ via electoral rolls. As allegations go, dubious voter lists are a different matter from rigged EVMs. But the two were fused into one general vote of no confidence when, on September 4, a state cabinet meeting chaired by CM Siddaramaiah recommended the use of ballot paper for all upcoming local body elections, including the long-overdue municipal elections in Bengaluru. If it comes to pass, this may become the first such shift back to the old-style voting on paper on a big scale since 2001.