Bill to reintroduce ballot papers in local body polls passed in Council amid Opposition walkout

A Bill seeking to reintroduce ballot papers in elections to local bodies in the State was passed in the Legislative Council on Wednesday, amid a walkout by the Opposition.

Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge moved the Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which had earlier been passed by the Assembly, and urged the House to adopt it.

The Bill proposes the use of ballot papers in place of electronic voting machines (EVMs) for elections to gram panchayats, taluk panchayats and zilla panchayats. It aims to ensure free, fair and transparent elections, safeguard the secrecy of voting, and address concerns raised over the reliability of EVMs.

Mr. Kharge said the move was intended to strengthen public confidence in the electoral process. “We are not against technology, but there should be no room for doubt in elections,” he said, stating that trust in the system was central to democracy.

The Bill also provides for stricter measures to curb electoral malpractices, including provisions for imprisonment ranging from six months to two years for offences such as booth capturing and voter intimidation. It further seeks to strengthen local governance by bringing unauthorised properties in rural areas under the tax net to improve the financial position of panchayats.

Opposition members, including Leader of the Opposition Chalavadi Narayanaswamy and C. T. Ravi vehemently opposed the move, arguing that instead of reverting to ballot papers, efforts should be made to improve the existing EVM system in line with technological advancements.

Terming the proposal “regressive”, the Opposition staged a walkout. The Bill was, however, passed by the House.

Transfer amendment Bill

The Council also passed the Karnataka State Civil Services (Regulation of Transfer of Teachers) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, aimed at simplifying and humanising the transfer process for teachers.

School Education and Literacy Minister S. Madhu Bangarappa moved the Bill, which had earlier been passed by the Assembly, and said it sought to address long-pending demands of teachers across the State.

The amendment introduces greater flexibility in mutual transfers by reducing the minimum service requirement, enabling teachers to move to preferred locations more easily. It also provides priority in transfers for teachers facing serious health issues, persons with disabilities and widows on humanitarian grounds. The Bill relaxes rigid zonal transfer norms, allowing the department to redistribute teachers to schools facing shortages, particularly in rural areas. Special provisions have also been made for “couple cases” to enable spouses in government service to be posted in the same district or nearby taluks.

Two other Bills — The Karnataka Government and Educational Institutions Lands (Protection and Regularisation) Bill, 2026 and Karnataka Jnana Bhandar Manuscripts and Digitisation Bill — were also passed after an extensive debate in the House.