‘Using this marker pen since 2011’: Maharashtra SEC chief Dinesh Waghmare amid Opposition claims over ‘erasable ink’

“The marker pen ink cannot be erased… It dries up in 10-15 seconds. And for these seconds, the voter remains in the polling centre after it is applied on his finger…Doubts are being raised, and videos are being circulated among the people to create confusion.”

Waghmare said that when a voter comes to the polling centre, representatives of the candidates help identify them. “After this, the voter can exercise his franchise. If the representatives have any complaints, they can register them with the presiding officer. If a voter comes again to vote and if the candidates’ representatives and presiding officer object, then an investigation can be carried out against the voter,” he said.

Speaking to reporters after casting his vote in Dadar, Raj Thackeray, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief, alleged that the mark on voters’ fingers could be wiped off with a sanitiser, and said that the system was being misused to benefit the ruling Mahayuti alliance.

“People come out, wipe the ink, and go back inside to vote again. Then they come out, wipe it again and re-enter. Is this what the government calls development?” he asked.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, Maharashtra Congress Legislative Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar, Shiv Sena MLC Anil Parab and Yuva Sena leader Sainath Durge also levelled the same allegation that the marker used to apply ink on voters’ fingers could be easily wiped off.

Activist Vijay Kumbhar said, “Not just erasing of ink on the finger, but several complaints regarding the voting process have come up from voters in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad… The State Election Commission has been found wanting.”