Opposition BJP and JD(S) legislators staged a walkout in the Assembly to protest against Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which mandates that gram panchayat, taluk panchayat and zilla panchayat polls in the State be held using ballot boxes instead of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
Terming the Bill a “retrograde” move, Leader of Opposition R. Ashok tore a copy of the Bill before staging the walkout.
Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge, who tabled the Bill, said the move was necessary to restore the integrity of elections. “There has been a big surge in turnout after 5 p.m. in many States. There are discrepancies in votes polled and votes counted. The Election Commission of India has not satisfactorily answered the questions raised, prompting us to shift to ballot papers,” he said.
This led to a heated debate in the Assembly, with multiple BJP members accusing the Congress of tarnishing constitutional authorities. “It is ironic that the IT and BT Minister has tabled a bill that is anti-technology and takes the State back in time,” senior BJP member Suresh Kumar said. Mr. Ashok added it was also ironic that the Congress, which introduced EVMs, is going back to ballot papers.
