Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted a mocking message on X on 28 October 2026 after the Indian National Congress failed to secure any of the 28 Legislative Council seats up for grabs in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and Karnataka. The tweet, accompanied by a monocle emoji, underscored the party's 0‑seat haul in the by‑elections that were conducted using paper ballots.
The Congress, which had earlier alleged tampering with electronic voting machines, now calls the BJP's insistence on EVMs a lie, insisting that the 0‑seat result proves the machines are unnecessary. It has demanded that all forthcoming Lok Sabha and state assembly polls be held by ballot paper, citing the need to restore public confidence.
Smriti Irani, BJP general secretary, dismissed the Congress's claims as rhetoric, saying the party had lost even on paper ballots and should take a "reality check." She noted that the public remained silent when the opposition accused the BJP of "vote theft."
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, speaking after an INDIA bloc meeting in September, reiterated concerns about the Election Commission's handling of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and called for a return to paper ballots, arguing that EVMs have been used to manipulate outcomes.
The party's demands have sparked debate in Parliament, where lawmakers are weighing the feasibility of a nationwide shift to paper voting ahead of the next general elections, slated for 2027. The Election Commission has yet to announce a formal response.