Can ‘Indelible’ Ink Really Be Wiped Off? Maharashtra Poll Body Responds to Viral Claims | Exclusive

Maharashtra’s State Election Commission said Thursday it has launched an investigation after videos circulated online showing voters wiping off what is meant to be “indelible” ink from their fingers during

ongoing civic elections. Polls to 29 municipal corporations, including Mumbai, are being held on Thursday.State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare warned that legal action would be taken against those attempting to spread what he called a false narrative about the polling process.Speaking to Times Now, he said that the controversy is misleading and deliberate. He said the ink being used was the same silver nitrate–based ink approved by the Election Commission of India and that there was no deviation from established practice, except for the mode of application.“This controversy is being spread deliberately and is not factual. The ink being used is silver nitrate, the same ink used by the Election Commission of India during Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. The only difference is that it is being applied through a marker pen. The marker pen is not new and has been in use since 2011. The ink must be applied properly over at least two to three centimetres. It takes around 10 seconds to dry completely, during which time the voter remains inside the polling station. There is therefore no question of the ink being removed,” Waghmare told Times Now.

Social media platforms were flooded with clips of voters, politicians and journalists using acetone or nail polish remover to erase ink marks applied after voting. The ink, used to prevent multiple voting, is being applied with marker pens during the civic polls. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, which is conducting the elections, rejected claims that the ink was ineffective. In a statement, the civic body said reports suggesting ink marks were being wiped off were “factually incorrect.”Waghmare said the ink takes time to dry and should not be rubbed immediately after application. He added that the marker ink supplied by Kores has been in use since 2011 and meets required chemical standards.“The viral videos are being examined, and cases will be filed against those trying to create a misleading narrative,” Waghmare said at a news conference. Despite concerns raised online, he said indelible ink would continue to be used in next month’s Zilla Parishad elections.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray and his cousin and MNS's Raj Thackeray have raised the issue and questioned the role of the Election Commission.Ink applied to fingers with marker pens after casting vote in the ongoing municipal corporation elections can be removed easily and it can lead to bogus voting, Maharashtra minister Sanjay Shirsat also claimed. The Shiv Sena leader was speaking to reporters after he exercised his franchise along with family members.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8B2Iz5y1LE

"It is true that the ink of marker pen is getting removed easily. There is a possibility of bogus voting at some places due to this. Polling agents and officials should pay strict attention to this," he said.Meanwhile, BJP leader and Maharashtra minister Ashish Shelar demanded strict action against persons attempting to wipe off ink from their fingers after exercising their franchise claiming they were trying to facilitate bogus voting and undermining the sanctity of the electoral process.The Maharashtra State Election Commissioner also said the commission had received only one complaint of bogus voting so far and that appropriate action had been taken.Addressing complaints about voters not finding their names on electoral rolls, Waghmare said voter lists had been reorganized ward-wise for civic polls. Polling booths used in parliamentary and assembly elections may differ from those assigned for municipal voting, he said, adding that voters and candidates should verify details in advance.Waghmare cited state minister Ganesh Naik as an example, saying Naik went to the wrong polling booth in Navi Mumbai, delaying his vote.Dinesh Waghmare also clarified that PADU machines are not part of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), rejecting claims that they are linked to the voting process. “PADU is not part of the EVM. Some people are trying to create the delusion that it is a part of the EVM, which is not correct. The EVM consists only of the control unit and the ballot unit. PADU is a machine that works as a mirror display. For example, if a mobile phone has a technical issue, it can be connected to another display to view its data. Similarly, if data is not visible on the control unit for any reason, it can be viewed through PADU. I have been an observer in more than 10 elections and have seen it being used. Since VVPATs came into use, PADU has largely been discontinued, but the Election Commission has provided this machine manufactured by BEL. PADU is used in only about 0.5 to 1 per cent of cases,” Waghmare told Times Now.