Bengaluru, March 24 -- The state legislative assembly on Monday passed the bill proposing the replacement of electronic voting machines with paper ballots in Karnataka's local body elections, even as opposition parties chose to boycott the vote after a heated exchange on the floor of the House.

The Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2026 mandates ballot- based voting for gram panchayat, taluk panchayat and zilla panchayat elections.

Before leaving, Leader of Opposition R Ashoka tore up a copy of the Bill, calling it "retrograde" and "anti democratic".

The government framed the shift as a response to unresolved concerns around electronic voting. Piloting the legislation, state rural development and panchayati raj ...