New Delhi: The Karnataka State Election Commission has announced that this year’s Bengaluru municipal corporation elections will be conducted using ballot
papers, just like the recently concluded Maharashtra municipal elections. Unlike previous years, no Electronic Voting Machines will be used (EVMs) this year, they said.
Karnataka government wanted elections through ballot
State Election Commissioner GS Sangreshi, was quoted in a report by moneycontrol.com as saying that the decision was taken after consultations with all stakeholders and in accordance with existing legal provisions. He said, “There may be many reasons. Once the State Election Commission takes a stand after consulting all stakeholders, a decision is made.”
The decision follows recommendations made by the Karnataka state government, led by Siddaramaiah last year. The Karnataka Cabinet wanted the local body elections to be conducted using ballot papers. The last elections to the municipal corporation in the city, which was at the time known as the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), was held using EVMs, in 2015.
The SEC said that the use of ballot papers was legal and was also not prohibited. He quoted the example of several other democracies in the world, including the US which hold elections through ballot papers. He further clarified that in India, it is only mandatory to hold Assembly Elections and Parliamentary elections through EVMs.
Preparations on for civic polls in Bengaluru
The announcement by the Commission comes, as Bengaluru is preparing to hold the long pending municipal body elections this year. The elections are being held after a direction to this effect was passed by the Supreme Court.
The apex court had directed the Election Commission to complete the election process by June 30 this year.
The tenure of the BBBMP council ended on September 10,2020. Following the dissolution of the civic body it was administered by government-appointed administrators. The Court is now monitoring the elections to both the BBMP and the newly created Greater Bengaluru Authority.
