Overview
- State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare confirmed marker pens have been used in local-body polls since 2011 and said the ink matches ECI specifications, though videos showed marks fading and this claim is now disputed.
- The SEC initiated an inquiry, ordered random sampling and testing of pens, and said it will return to traditional bottled indelible ink from Mysore Paints for the upcoming phase.
- Officials said attempts to remove marks or create confusion are illegal and stressed that voter records and polling safeguards prevent anyone from casting a ballot twice even if a mark is erased.
- Rahul Gandhi accused the Election Commission of “gaslighting” citizens and called alleged “vote chori” anti-national, while Uddhav and Raj Thackeray echoed concerns and BJP leaders and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis rejected the allegations.
- Social-media clips and posts by voters and public figures claimed ink could be wiped off with acetone or sanitiser, as separate reports noted some EVM glitches and the BMC’s voter turnout at 52.94%.