Karnataka withdraws a survey showing high public trust in EVMs after BJP and Congress spar over its credibility and timing.

A survey assessing public confidence in elections and Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in Karnataka has been taken down from official platforms, triggering a fresh political exchange between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Indian National Congress. The report, commissioned earlier this year by the state’s Chief Electoral Officer, indicated high levels of trust in the electoral process and EVMs among respondents across multiple constituencies.

While BJP leaders cited the findings as validation against allegations of manipulation raised after the 2024 elections, Congress leaders questioned the credibility of the exercise. They pointed to concerns over the organisation that conducted the survey and argued that the sample size per constituency was insufficient to draw broad conclusions.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah later ordered the report’s removal for review, describing it as a routine voter awareness assessment that coincided with a politically sensitive period. He said the government would examine the methodology before taking a final call on its publication.

Analysis: The episode underlines how even perception studies can become politically charged in an election-heavy climate. As Karnataka heads toward future polls, transparency around data collection and timing may be as important as the findings themselves