Why are paper ballots used for MLC polls? Explained

MLC elections use proportional representation through a single transferable vote. Voters rank candidates instead of picking just one. EVMs are built for “first-past-the-post elections” in India in which voter chooses one candidate, so they cannot record ranked preferences

Published - October 31, 2026 09:35 am IST

Counting of postal ballots for the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council Graduate and Teacher constituency elections underway, at a centre in Lucknow on Tuesday (October 27, 2026). | Photo Credit: PTI

Elections were held to 28 seats for Members of Legislative Council (MLC) on October 23. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 13 of the 28 seats across four states while its NDA alliance partners — Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde), Janata Dal (United) and Janata Dal (Secular) — won one seat each, taking the coalition’s tally to 16. The Congress won only a single seat in Maharashtra. Polling for MLC seats is done through paper ballots. The Congress’ poll performance evoked a public ridicule from Prime Minister Narendra Modi who took a direct swipe at the party’s long-standing campaigns against Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and its persistent demand to return to paper ballots.

Published - October 31, 2026 09:35 am IST

Maharashtra / Uttar Pradesh / election / Bharatiya Janata Party / Samajwadi Party / voting / politics / Shiv Sena / The Hindu Explains

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