Overview
- Videos by voters, politicians and journalists showed finger marks fading with acetone or sanitiser, prompting opposition allegations of scope for bogus voting.
- The State Election Commission said attempts to remove the mark are a punishable offence and that polling registers prevent anyone from voting again.
- SEC officials cited orders from 2011 authorising marker pens for local-body elections and instructions to apply ink by rubbing it over the nail and adjacent skin.
- The BMC called media reports of wipe-off marks factually incorrect, while Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani said complaints will be probed and told staff to ensure ink contacts skin, noting nail-only marks can fade.
- MNS chief Raj Thackeray alleged manipulation, Congress leaders shared wipe-off demos, and CM Devendra Fadnavis dismissed the charge as excuse-making even as he urged the commission to review the marker issue.