A Knowledge-Attitude-Practice (KAP) survey on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in Karnataka has ignited a fresh political confrontation between the Congress and the BJP. The survey, which reported that 85% of voters have confidence in EVMs, has been hailed by the BJP as an exposure of the Congress’ “false narrative.” Conversely, the Congress government has disowned the study, alleging it was conducted by an NGO with ties to the PMO and questioning its small sample size of 5,100 voters across a vast state.
Survey Highlights: “Overwhelming Trust”
The survey was reportedly conducted by the Karnataka Monitoring and Evaluation Authority (under the Department of Planning and Statistics).
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Sample Size: 5,100 voters.
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Key Finding: ~85% expressed confidence in EVMs.
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Perception: A majority termed the 2024 Lok Sabha election a “free and fair” exercise.
The Political Flashpoint
The report has led to a sharp exchange between state leaders:
| Party | Key Spokesperson | Stance / Argument |
| BJP | B.Y. Vijayendra (State Chief) | Claimed the survey exposes the Congress’ “vote chori” (vote theft) narrative as a lie to hide electoral failures. |
| Congress | Priyank Kharge (IT Minister) | Disowned the survey; alleged it was conducted by an NGO linked to the PMO and questioned the credibility of a 5,000-person sample. |
The “Vote Chori” Counter-Allegation
The Congress has pivoted the conversation back to their ongoing allegations of mass voter deletion:
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The Aland Case: Senior MLA BR Patil and Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that nearly 7,000 voters from marginalized communities were deleted from the rolls in Aland (Kalaburagi) before the 2023 elections.
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Police Investigation: Karnataka Police sources recently indicated that a data entry team might have been paid (reportedly ₹80 per voter) to delete specific names from the electoral rolls.
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Rahul Gandhi’s Stand: The Congress maintains that the real “vote chori” isn’t about the machines themselves, but the systematic removal of genuine voters to tilt the scales.
