LAKKUNDI (GADAG): Elections to all local bodies, including zilla, taluk and gram panchayats and Greater Bengaluru Authority, will be held using ballot papers and not electronic voting machines, said Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil on Friday.
“People have lost faith in EVMs. That is why the government is using ballot papers,” he said. Unveiling five temples and five wells at the historical Lakkundi village in Gadag district, he said, “Many big democracies have turned away from EVMs to adopt ballot papers. We informed the Election Commission about our decision. We also told EC to amend laws if needed and that we would provide funds for ballot papers. We will not decide on the Assembly and Council polls,” he said.
Asked if it was not a step backward, he said, “It is not. Many big democracies have turned to ballot papers. The worry is that EVMs can be hacked. We had advised EC to hold a hackathon, but they were neither ready to run the challenge nor willing to hold a discussion.”
In Mysuru, MLC Dr Yathindra Siddaramaiah said, “Even technologically advanced countries have moved away from EVMs and returned to ballot papers. They will be appropriate in the future too.”