Most Voters Trust EVMs, Says Karnataka Survey, BJP Hits Back at Rahul Gandhi

A recent survey conducted in Karnataka has revealed a strong level of public confidence in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), offering fresh ammunition to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in its political battle with the Congress. The findings come amid sustained criticism from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who has repeatedly questioned the credibility of EVMs and alleged manipulation during elections.

The Endline Survey on KAP (Knowledge, Attitude and Practice) of Citizens found that 83.61% of respondents believe EVMs are reliable. Among them, 69.39% said EVMs deliver accurate results, while 14.22% expressed strong confidence in their reliability, indicating broad public trust in India’s voting system.

The survey covered 5,100 respondents across 102 Assembly constituencies in four major administrative divisions of Karnataka — Bengaluru, Belagavi, Kalaburagi, and Mysuru. The wide geographic spread was aimed at capturing a representative snapshot of voter perception ahead of and following the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Division-wise data showed that Kalaburagi recorded the highest confidence levels, with 83.24% agreeing and 11.24% strongly agreeing that EVMs are dependable. Mysuru followed closely, where 17.92% strongly agreed and 70.67% agreed with the reliability of EVMs. In Belagavi, 21.43% strongly agreed and 63.90% agreed.

The Bengaluru division registered the lowest level of strong agreement at 9.28%, though 63.67% of respondents still agreed that EVMs are trustworthy. Bengaluru also saw the highest proportion of neutral responses at 15.67%, significantly higher than the other regions surveyed.

Rahul Gandhi has consistently targeted the BJP and the Election Commission of India, accusing them of undermining democracy through alleged EVM manipulation and “vote chori” during elections. These claims have been a recurring theme in his speeches and public statements across the country.

Reacting to the survey findings, BJP Karnataka Leader of Opposition R Ashok took to social media platform X to criticize the Congress leader. “For years, Rahul Gandhi has travelled the country telling one story — that India’s democracy is ‘in danger,’ that EVMs are ‘untrustworthy,’ and that our institutions cannot be believed,” Ashok wrote. “Karnataka has now presented a very different narrative.”

The BJP described the survey results as “a slap on the face of the Congress,” asserting that the data clearly shows that “people trust elections, people trust EVMs, and people trust India’s democratic process.” Party leaders argued that the findings undermine the Congress’ repeated allegations of systemic electoral manipulation.

However, the survey has also sparked a political counter-response. Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge clarified that the Karnataka government did not conduct the study. He stated that it was an Election Commission survey, carried out by the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of the Karnataka Election Commission and merely released by a government-linked institution.

Kharge also accused the BJP of selectively highlighting the survey. He questioned why the party, while using the findings to dismiss Congress concerns about EVMs, was silent on allegations of “vote chori” in the Aland Assembly constituency of Karnataka.

As political debate around EVMs continues, the Karnataka survey has added a new dimension to the national discourse on electoral integrity, public trust, and the role of institutions in safeguarding India’s democratic process.