The Karnataka State Election Commission has decided to use ballot papers instead of electronic voting machines (EVMs) for the Bengaluru civic polls, scheduled after May 25. G.S. Sangreshi, the State Election Commissioner, announced this change during a press conference where he released the draft voters’ list for the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) elections. The upcoming elections for the GBA, district panchayats, taluk panchayats, and gram panchayats will all employ ballot papers for voting.
Sangreshi emphasized that the ward-wise draft electoral rolls for all 369 wards have been made public for inspection, with the final notification set for March 16. He urged voters to confirm their names on the draft voters’ list and apply for inclusion if necessary. The Commissioner clarified that EVMs were exclusively used for Assembly elections, not mandated for local body polls. As a result, the GBA elections, along with district and taluk panchayat elections, will proceed with ballot papers.
R. Ramachandran, the Special Commissioner of the GBA election division, disclosed that the draft voters’ list for the five municipal corporations under the Greater Bengaluru Authority comprises a total of 88,91,411 voters. This list, based on the qualifying date of October 1, 2025, includes 45,69,193 men, 43,20,583 women, and 1,635 voters from other categories. Booth-level officers will conduct verification visits from January 20 to February 3, during which voters can raise claims and objections.
