Karnataka Survey Shows "High Trust" In Voting Machines, BJP Slams Congress

A survey in Karnataka – on voters' confidence in EVMs, or Electronic Voting Machines – has become the latest flashpoint between the Congress and the BJP, with the former denying any connection between its government and the study and the latter claiming just such a link.

The Knowledge-Attitude-Practice survey of 5,100 voters – by the Karnataka Monitoring and Evaluation Authority, which sits under the federally-administered Department of Planning and Statistics – said it found 'overwhelming public trust in EVMs'. Nearly 85 per cent expressed confidence in the machines and said the 2024 Lok Sabha election was a 'free and fair' exercise.

The BJP's state unit chief, BY Vijayendra posted gleefully on X, "Congress' 'vote chori' stands exposed once again! The survey report published by the Government of Karnataka clearly shows a decisive majority of our people believe elections in India are conducted freely and fairly."

Congress' “Vote Chori” stands exposed once again!

The survey report published by the Government of Karnataka clearly shows that a decisive majority of our people believe elections in India are conducted freely and fairly. This is a direct blow to @RahulGandhi , who unable to… pic.twitter.com/guluqakrEj

— Vijayendra Yediyurappa (@BYVijayendra) January 2, 2026

"This is a direct blow to Rahul Gandhi who, unable to accept repeated electoral failures, chose to invent the 'vote chori' narrative and launch a reckless campaign casting doubts on the Election Commission," Vijayendra, ex- BJP Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa's son, said.

The Congress, however, disavowed any link between its administration and the survey.

"First, this is not sanctioned by the state government," IT Minister Priyank Kharge told NDTV, "Apparently the Election Commission requested the State Election Commission… sought the help of an NGO which is run by Balakrishnan or Balasubramanian who, if I am not mistaken, happens to be the author of a book for the Prime Minister and works with the PM's Office."

"What do you expect?" he asked, and also asked questions about the survey's design and framework. "And what is the data size? 5,000 people in 110+ constituencies or something…"

"What the BJP has to explain is the 'vote chori' in Kalaburagi… in Aland…" he continued, referring to data-backed claims by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi that the poll panel and BJP colluded to carry out mass deletion of voters before the 2023 Karnataka and 2024 Lok Sabha elections."

Aland is in Kalaburagi in northern Karnataka, and is the home turf of Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, as well as senior MLA BR Patil, who represents the constituency. 'Vote chori' red flags surfaced after Patil and Kharge claimed to have proof – that nearly 7,000 voters from marginalised communities had been deleted – and wrote to the state's Chief Electoral Officer.

In October sources in Karnataka Police, which is investigating the Congress' allegations, told news agency PTI a data entry team could have been paid money - a few lakh rupees in total - to delete a certain number of voters from the roll. At least six people were involved, sources said.

Reports said Rs 80 was paid for every deleted voter, and that there were requests to delete nearly 7,000 voters from the rolls before the 2023 state election. Kharge reacted strongly to these reports, declaring on X, "The latest findings confirm what we've been saying all along... genuine voters were struck off the rolls through a paid operation ahead of the 2023 election."

EVMs are a contentious topic in the electoral landscape, with opposition parties, led by the Congress, routinely accusing the BJP and Election Commission of having rigged the machines to favour the former. The EC has also come under fire from the opposition over the Special Intensive Revision, i.e., voter re-verification exercises, of electoral rolls months before elections.