Whose survey is it anyway? Congress, BJP lock horns over report on Karnataka voters’ belief in EVMs
Bengaluru: The Karnataka Congress Friday hit again on the BJP for “falsely peddling” a survey to counsel {that a} majority of respondents within the state trusted digital voting machines (EVMs) and believed polls are free and honest. The BJP, claimed the ruling celebration in Karnataka, additionally portrayed the Election Fee survey as a “state authorities survey”.
Karnataka’s Minister for Data Expertise Priyank Kharge mentioned the survey was commissioned by the Election Fee of India (ECI) by way of the state chief electoral officer.
“Survey performed by a Modi’s man who works within the PMO and has authored a lavish tribute to the PM. Survey performed in Could 2025. Detailed #VoteChori exposé by the Congress got here out in August 2025,” he wrote in a submit on X.
He added that the report, titled Lok Sabha Elections 2024-Analysis of Endline Survey of KAP (Information, Angle and Apply) of Residents, lined solely 50 respondents per meeting constituency which was “statistically weak, vulnerable to extensive sampling error and choice bias and never appropriate for drawing conclusions”.
Survey commissioned by the Election Fee by way of State Chief Electoral Officer.
Survey performed by a Modi’s man who works within the PMO and has authored a lavish tribute to the PM.
Survey performed in Could 2025.
Detailed #VoteChori exposé by the Congress got here out in August… pic.twitter.com/Pzaxznfv31— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) January 2, 2026
Regardless of Kharge’s claims, the BJP continued to make use of the findings of the report back to assault Lok Sabha Chief of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and the Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka authorities over the Congress’s allegations of mass vote theft throughout constituencies within the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Within the first week of August final 12 months, Gandhi held a press convention to hammer his level about alleged voter checklist manipulation, pretend voter addresses and different irregularities in Bengaluru’s Mahadevapura meeting phase.
He alleged that as many as 1,00,250 entries within the voter checklist of Mahadevapura phase have been manipulated, amongst different locations throughout the nation, which helped the BJP win shut battles in a number of constituencies and ultimately retain energy.
He had alleged {that a} single dwelling, no larger than a automobile shed, had greater than 80 voters registered to emphasize on the voter checklist manipulation. The ‘vote chori’ narrative has developed into the Congress celebration’s central ballot plank towards the Modi authorities.
Additionally Learn: Rahul’s contemporary salvo at CEC Gyanesh Kumar, alleges bid to delete voters en masse ‘utilizing software program’
What does the survey state
The findings have been primarily based on the survey of round 50 folks per meeting constituency.
The survey concludes that “84.55 p.c of respondents consider that elections are free/honest” and that “83.61 p.c of respondents belief EVM accuracy”.
The BJP claimed the survey report “revealed by the Authorities of Karnataka” contradicts Gandhi’s allegations.
“This examine was commissioned by the Workplace of the Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka by way of the Karnataka Monitoring and Analysis Authority (KMEA), an impartial physique below the Planning Division of the Authorities of Karnataka. It was performed by way of a aggressive course of by KMEA, not by the Election Fee of India,” Amit Malviya, the BJPs data and expertise wing chief, mentioned in a submit on X.
He added that Gandhi was enjoying the “politics of manufactured mistrust”.
B.Y. Vijayendra, the BJP state president, mentioned in a submit on X, “The survey report revealed by the Authorities of Karnataka clearly reveals {that a} decisive majority of our folks consider elections in India are performed freely and pretty.
“This can be a direct blow to @RahulGandhi, who, unable to simply accept @INCIndia repeated electoral failures, selected to invent the ‘Vote Chori’ narrative and launch a reckless marketing campaign casting doubts on the Election Fee.”
Congress’ “Vote Chori” stands uncovered as soon as once more!
The survey report revealed by the Authorities of Karnataka clearly reveals {that a} decisive majority of our folks consider elections in India are performed freely and pretty. This can be a direct blow to @RahulGandhi , who unable to… pic.twitter.com/guluqakrEj
— Vijayendra Yediyurappa (@BYVijayendra) January 2, 2026
CM Siddaramaiah in an extended submit on X wrote: “This was not a political opinion ballot. It was an end-line administrative analysis of voter consciousness below SVEEP programmes, commissioned by the Election Fee of India and performed in Could 2025.”
Over the past 24 hours, an Election Fee survey has been selectively used to fabricate a deceptive narrative – suggesting that severe considerations about electoral malpractice raised by Shri @RahulGandhi are by some means “disproved”. This declare collapses the second the survey is… pic.twitter.com/HOF1ZsunQg
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) January 2, 2026
The survey reveals {that a} vital proportion of respondents believes the affect of cash in elections is rising, with 44.90 p.c ‘agreeing’ and 4.65 p.c ‘strongly agreeing’ general. Outcomes diversified throughout the 4 broad divisions—Mysuru, Belagavi, Kalaburagi, Bengaluru.
The proportion of respondents agreeing to the proposition that the affect of cash was rising was 51.33 in Bengaluru, whereas it was the bottom in Belagavi at 24.86.
Equally, greater than 40.84 p.c of respondents throughout divisions believed that the affect of muscle energy was rising in elections.
“The Mysuru division recorded the best settlement at 57.17 p.c, adopted by the Bengaluru division with 46.89 p.c, indicating a stronger perception within the rising position of muscle energy. In distinction, Belagavi division confirmed the bottom settlement at 15.61 p.c and the best disagreement at 68.57 p.c, reflecting sturdy skepticism,” in accordance with the survey.
There was additionally the issue of duplication of entries, which the survey talked about as a rising concern. “Amongst tribal communities, doc verification challenges have been frequent as a result of absence of normal id proofs, leading to duplicate entries or mismatches in electoral rolls,” the survey said.
It added that migration and incomplete documentation led to inaccuracies similar to duplicate or outdated entries within the electoral rolls.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
Additionally Learn: Karnataka Oppn slams Siddaramiah govt for ‘footing invoice to shore up Gandhis’ fortunes in Kerala’
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