{"id":131294,"date":"2026-10-31T11:41:44","date_gmt":"2026-10-31T06:11:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=131294"},"modified":"2026-10-31T11:41:44","modified_gmt":"2026-10-31T06:11:44","slug":"ballot-papers-in-indian-elections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/ballot-papers-in-indian-elections\/","title":{"rendered":"Ballot Papers in Indian Elections: Where and Why They Are Used"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><b>Ballot Papers in Indian Elections Latest News<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recently, elections were held for 28 Legislative Council (MLC) seats across the country. PM Modi took a swipe at the opposition party, noting that MLC elections use ballot papers, not EVMs. The Opposition Party has blamed EVMs for its past electoral losses.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The remarks have revived the <\/span><b>EVM vs ballot paper debate<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This raises a key question: which elections in India still use ballot papers, and why?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Ballot Papers in Panchayat Elections<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most elections to Gram Panchayats, Panchayat Samitis and Zilla Parishads still use ballot papers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A 2023 study by the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), sponsored by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, found:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">53% of states use ballot papers for <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/panchayati-raj-institutions\/\" target=\"_blank\">Gram Panchayat<\/a><\/strong> elections.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only three States\/UTs (Kerala, Sikkim, and Dadra &amp; Nagar Haveli and Daman &amp; Diu) use EVMs in all Gram Panchayat constituencies.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">22% of states are in transition. They use EVMs in some constituencies and ballot papers in others.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">EVM use rises at higher tiers. In Zilla Panchayat elections, 17% of states use EVMs in all constituencies.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Reasons Given by States<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">States using ballot papers cited two main hurdles:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lack of funds.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lack of voter awareness about EVMs.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The IIPA report found the awareness argument weak. The same voters use EVMs in Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Drawbacks of Ballot Papers<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The report highlighted several problems:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Counting is slow and cumbersome.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It requires huge manpower.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is not environment-friendly.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Ground Realities<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Local practices also explain the continued use of ballot papers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Non-party symbols:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> In rural local body polls, tehsildars allot symbols days before the election. Candidates give three choices and get one. These are <\/span><b>not regular party symbols<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Personal connect matters:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A former sarpanch from Maharashtra noted that a candidate\u2019s closeness to voters and help with daily work matter more than ideology in these polls.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Simultaneous polls:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A Bihar official said elections for multiple tiers happen at the same time. Using so many machines would be difficult, so ballot papers are more practical.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Can EVMs Handle Local Symbols?<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes. Former Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa explained that a process called \u201csymbol loading\u201d allows the required local symbols to be loaded onto EVMs.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Municipal and Student Union Elections<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Municipal Bodies<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Municipal elections fall under the State Election Commissions (SECs). SECs can choose between EVMs and ballot papers.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><b>Municipal Corporation of Delhi:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Uses EVMs.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><b>Punjab:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Shifted to ballot papers in 2026.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Punjab and Haryana High Court upheld this choice. It noted that the Punjab Municipal Election Rules, 1994 permit both methods, leaving the decision to the SEC.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><b>Student Unions<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Student union polls also use both methods.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Delhi University Students\u2019 Union (DUSU): Uses EVMs. Candidate names appear in alphabetical order, so names and ballot numbers matter.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jawaharlal Nehru University Students\u2019 Union (JNUSU)<\/span><b>:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Uses ballot papers.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Single Transferable Vote: Where Ballot Papers Are Necessary<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some elections must use ballot papers. These are elections held through the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Legislative Councils<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; Under Article 171, MLC elections follow proportional representation through STV. Voters mark their first, second, third and further preferences. This ranking makes the vote transferable. It can only be done on paper, not on an EVM.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Rajya Sabha<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; Rajya Sabha elections also use STV and ballot papers. Here, voting MLAs follow an open ballot; they must show their vote to their party\u2019s agent.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>How the STV Quota Works<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A formula decides the votes needed to win.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Quota = [Total votes \u00f7 (Number of seats + 1)] + 1<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Example:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">200 MLAs vote for 4 seats.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">200 \u00f7 (4 + 1) = 40.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Quota = 40 + 1 = 41 votes.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Any candidate with 41 first-preference votes is elected.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If seats remain vacant, surplus votes of winners are transferred. For instance, a winner with 45 votes has 4 surplus votes. These go to the second-preference candidates.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If several winners have surpluses, the largest surplus is transferred first.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If seats still remain, the candidate with the fewest first-preference votes is eliminated. Their votes move to the next preference. This continues until all seats are filled.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Conclusion<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ballot papers remain vital where STV voting, local symbols or simultaneous multi-tier polls make EVMs impractical. However, slow counting, high costs and environmental concerns persist.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gradual, well-funded adoption of EVMs in local polls, with strong voter trust, can balance efficiency and credibility.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Source:<\/b> <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/explained-law\/ballot-papers-in-indian-elections-where-are-they-still-used-and-why-10942270\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">IE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ballot papers in Indian elections remain relevant in local polls and STV-based voting. Understand where they are used, why states retain them and their limitations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":131316,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[11243,60,22,59],"class_list":["post-131294","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","tag-ballot-papers-in-indian-elections","tag-mains-articles","tag-upsc-current-affairs","tag-upsc-mains-current-affairs","no-featured-image-padding"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131294","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=131294"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131294\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":131321,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131294\/revisions\/131321"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/131316"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=131294"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=131294"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=131294"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}