Overview
- The KMEA-published KAP survey of 5,100 respondents found 83.61% consider EVMs trustworthy and 84.55% say elections are free and fair, even as many flagged growing influence of money and reported inducements.
- Commissioned by the Chief Electoral Officer and conducted by GRAAM in May 2025, the study was dated August 2025 and has now been publicized as part of an SVEEP endline evaluation.
- BJP leaders cited the findings to counter Rahul Gandhi’s ‘vote chori’ claims, calling the report a blow to the Congress narrative and criticizing Karnataka’s move to use ballot papers for local polls.
- Karnataka IT Minister Priyank Kharge and CM Siddaramaiah argued the survey is a perception study with a small sample of roughly 50 per assembly segment, was conducted before Congress’s August 2025 allegations, and cannot negate probes such as the Aland case.
- The Free Press Journal reported the survey document was removed from a government website after the uproar, as the Chief Minister maintained it was misused to suggest later malpractice claims were disproved.