A recent survey conducted in Karnataka has indicated widespread public confidence in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), with more than 83% of respondents expressing trust in the system. The findings have prompted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to strongly counter Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s repeated allegations questioning the credibility of India’s electoral process.

The survey, titled Evaluation of Endline Survey of KAP (Knowledge, Attitude and Practice) of Citizens, found that 83.61% of participants considered EVMs reliable. Of the total respondents, 69.39% agreed that EVMs deliver accurate results, while 14.22% said they strongly agreed with this view.

The study covered 5,100 respondents across 102 Assembly constituencies in Karnataka, spanning the Bengaluru, Belagavi, Kalaburagi and Mysuru administrative divisions. Region-wise data showed the highest level of confidence in Kalaburagi, where over 94% respondents either agreed or strongly agreed that EVMs are trustworthy. Mysuru followed closely, while Belagavi also reported strong approval. Bengaluru recorded comparatively lower levels of strong agreement, though a clear majority still expressed trust, alongside a higher proportion of neutral responses than other regions.

Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly accused the BJP and the Election Commission of India of manipulating EVMs and alleged large-scale “vote chori” in elections. Reacting to the survey, BJP Karnataka Leader of Opposition R Ashok said the findings directly contradicted Gandhi’s narrative that India’s democracy and institutions were under threat. He said the results showed that voters continue to place faith in elections, EVMs and democratic processes.

The BJP described the survey as a clear rejection of Congress allegations and claimed it reflected the public’s confidence in the electoral system. However, Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge responded by clarifying that the survey was not conducted by the state government but by the Election Commission of Karnataka and merely published by a government agency.

Kharge also questioned the BJP’s selective use of the survey data, asking why the party was silent on allegations of electoral irregularities in the Aland Assembly constituency while citing the survey to dismiss concerns raised by the Congress.