The high-stakes BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections on Thursday are overshadowed by controversy, after several voters reported that the ink applied to their fingers after voting could be easily wiped off, triggering sharp political reactions and prompting the authorities to order an inquiry.
The issue surfaced early in the day when videos circulated on social media showing voters removing the supposed indelible ink using sanitiser and acetone. The development sparked outrage from Opposition parties, particularly the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Shiv Sena (UBT), which accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Maharashtra government and the state election commission (SEC) of undermining the integrity of the electoral process.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray, speaking to reporters after casting his vote, alleged that the government was determined to win the civic elections 'at any cost'. He claimed that the traditional indelible ink had been replaced with marker pens that could be wiped off easily, raising fears of double voting. “Coming to power through such fraudulent elections cannot be called a democracy,” he says, questioning whether this was what the ruling party described as development.
Mr Thackeray launched a broader attack on the state administration and the election commission, accusing them of systematically weakening democratic safeguards. He alleged that concerns raised earlier about duplicate voters and VVPAT machines were ignored and claimed that new counting systems had been introduced without adequate transparency or consultation with political parties. He also accused the poll body of allowing candidates to visit homes after the campaign period ended, alleging this was done to facilitate cash distribution.
Following reports of a duplicate voter being caught at a polling booth in Dadar’s Chhabildas School, Mr Thackeray appealed to party workers and Shiv Sena cadres to remain alert at polling stations throughout the day to prevent irregularities.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray echoed similar concerns, calling the alleged irregularities a 'murder of democracy'. He accused the SEC of functioning in an anti-constitutional manner and demanded the suspension of state election commissioner Dinesh Waghmare. Mr Thackeray alleged widespread problems, including duplicate voters, incorrect voter information, and confusion at polling booths. “Who is the Election Commission working for?” he asked, alleging collusion between the poll body and the ruling Mahayuti alliance.
Adding to the controversy, the name of Shiv Sena's former member of Parliament (MP) Moreshwar Save, who passed away in 2015, was found on the voter list during the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation polls. Mr Save was a two-time Lok Sabha MP and the father of Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Atul Save.
Maharashtra chief minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis rejected the allegations, defending the electoral process while cautioning against repeatedly casting doubt on democratic institutions. He says the conduct of elections fell under the election commission’s purview and noted that marker pens had been used in previous elections as well. “If there are any doubts, the Commission can use a different pen. In fact, they should use oil paint,” he remarked.
Responding to the growing backlash, BMC commissioner Bhushan Gagrani ordered an official inquiry into the ink issue. The municipal administration issued fresh instructions to polling staff to ensure that the ink is applied in a manner that allows it to penetrate the skin effectively.
Beyond the ink controversy, voters across Mumbai and Pune reported several logistical issues, including changes in polling booths without adequate prior notice, difficulty locating names on physical electoral rolls and poorly printed voter photographs that made verification challenging. Polling stations in several parts of the city witnessed confusion, especially during the morning hours, as voters moved between helpdesks trying to find their details.
In a post
on X, Pune-based Mahesh Zagade, an officer from the Indian Administrative Services (IAS) and former principal secretary of Maharashtra says, “My name is on the voter list of the central election commission, but it has been removed by the SEC. The state election commissioner has made a mockery of democracy.”
Voting for elections to 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra began at 7.30am and will end at 5.30pm, with counting scheduled for 16 January 2025. The contest is particularly significant in Mumbai, where 1,700 candidates are vying for 227 BMC seats in the cash-rich civic body with an annual budget exceeding Rs74,400 crore.
Officials say voter turnout stood at 41.08% till 3.30pm in Mumbai. Across the state, about 34.8m (million) voters are eligible to choose from 15,931 candidates contesting 2,869 seats across 893 wards. In Mumbai alone, more than 10.3mn voters are registered to cast their ballots.
As the day progressed, the election commission maintained that safeguards are in place to prevent multiple voting and urged political parties and voters to refrain from spreading panic while investigations into the complaints were underway.
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