A study by the Karnataka Monitoring and Evaluation Authority (KMEA) surveyed 5,100 respondents across Karnataka, finding that 91.31% believe elections are conducted freely and fairly, with strong confidence in EVMs. This contrasts with the state's Congress government's proposal to revert to ballot papers for local polls due to alleged EVM distrust. The BJP has used the study to criticize the Congress and Rahul Gandhi's 'vote theft' campaign, calling the survey a 'slap on the face' of the party.