Many people on Thursday during the first phase of polling claimed that the "indelible" ink applied to mark the index finger of the voter immediately after casting their vote could be removed just by applying some chemical remover on it.
After two reporters from News18 demonstrated on TV how the indelible stain on their index fingers disappeared soon after applying some nail polish remover on them, a lookup of Twitter showed that many other people also shared similar experiences on the micro-blogging site.
What a day. First time I experienced this. The “ indelible ink “ of election commission , goes missing in exactly half hour. Is the election commission letting us down ? #viewpoint tonight 9 PM @CNNnews18 pic.twitter.com/GtwpwU757D
— bhupendra chaubey (@bhupendrachaube) April 11, 2019
The revelation could have far-reaching implications as the "indelible" ink is meant to ensure that a voter can vote only once.
Ritu Kapur, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Quint, tweeted photographs of her finger before and after applying nail polish remover on the ink mark on it. The image taken after the application of the solution showed a stainless finger.
"I voted. I got inked. I did not believe the people who said that indelible ink is washing off. So I tried nail polish remover -- and magic -- the mark is gone @SpokespersonECI. What's ECI's response," Kapur wrote in the tweet.
I voted. I got inked. I did not believe the people who said that indelible ink is washing off. So I tried nail polish remover - and magic - the mark is gone @SpokespersonECI. What’s ECI’s response? pic.twitter.com/S12TKw8M07
— Ritu Kapur (@kapur_ritu) April 11, 2019
Posting similar images, Pranav Reddy Kandadi tweeted: "Tried to wash off the ink 10 mins after voting and I was able to.. It's a chance for ppl with multiple voter cards (yes they exist) to vote again.. Unfair elections... @PMOIndia #ElectionCommissionOfIndia."
Tried to wash off the ink 10 mins after voting and I was able to.. It's a chance for ppl with multiple voter cards(yes they exist) to vote again.. Unfair elections... @PMOIndia #ElectionCommissionOfIndia pic.twitter.com/YeN8y9m6d5
— Pranav Reddy Kandadi (@pranav247) April 11, 2019
Another Twitter user who goes by the name DeshBhakt Priyank Mehta #RYP wrote: "That's a big voting scam. Ink anyone can remove easily and vote as many times #electionScam #BanEvm #BanDigitalElections."
Thats a big voting scam. Ink anyone can remove easily and vote as many times #electionScam #BanEvm #BanDigitalElections pic.twitter.com/ftsqvu1So1
— DeshBhakt Priyank Mehta #RYP (@7P_Mehta) April 11, 2019
The Election Commission, however, said that they had sought a report on the ink and found that it was duly tested by the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) before the elections.
Deputy Election Commissioner Chandra Bhushan said: "Since the first general elections in 1951-52, the ink has been used and before every election it is tested in the lab. Now we asked for the report and found the lab test was done by CSIR."
He said that all due processes were followed and such incidents should not happen.
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