BMC election transparency under lens as voters use acetone to wipe off 'indelible' ink

Social media was flooded on Thursday (January 15) with videos of common voters, politicians and mediapersons using Acetone to remove the ‘indelible’ ink on their fingers after they cast ballots in the high-stakes Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections held during the day, bringing the civic body under scrutiny.

BMC officials, however, refused to accept reports that claimed that voters were removing the ink marks.

Also read: Is Raj Thackeray evoking ‘Marathi manoos’ sentiment with ‘rasmalai’, ‘lungi’ jibes?

Acetone is a clear, volatile, and flammable organic solvent characterised by a sweet, sharp smell. It is extensively utilised in nail polish removers, paint thinners, and cleaning products because of its capacity to dissolve a variety of substances.

Congress MP slams BMC

Varsha Gaikwad, a Congress MP from Mumbai and the president of Mumbai Regional Congress Committee, posted a video of her party colleague Sachin Sawant using the liquid to wipe off the ink from his finger.

Taking a dig at the BMC, she wrote on X, “BMC wiping off accountability? Since morning we have been receiving several reports of how the marker ink being used to show voting has been done, is easily being wiped off. My colleague and his wife here demonstrate how this ink can be easily wiped off with acetone or nail polish remover.”

BMC wiping off accountability?

Since morning we have been receiving several reports of how the marker ink being used to show voting has been done, is easily being wiped off. My colleague @sachin_inc and his wife here demonstrate how this ink can be easily wiped off with acetone… pic.twitter.com/hprCHU7a73

— Prof. Varsha Eknath Gaikwad (@VarshaEGaikwad) January 15, 2026

Questioning the election, which is being held under nearly a decade, she said it raised several questions about accountability and transparency.

“The various last minute bribes to voters going unchecked, the missing names of voters, the SEC website crashing making it difficult for voters to find their names, ink that is being easily wiped. The faith of the people in our democratic process must be protected at all costs but the election commission and the BMC seem to be completely unbothered about it. Shame!” the Mumbai North Central parliamentarian said on social media.

Journalist posts about similar act

A journalist from a TV channel also posted a video of wiping off the ink using Acetone in his studio, shortly after returning from Panvel, where he cast his vote.

Also read: Maharashtra civic polls: Voting begins, all eyes on Mumbai

Reacting to the claims of the ink being wiped off, the BMC said in a statement that such media reports were factually incorrect.

As per procedure, polling staff apply indelible ink to one finger of the voter's left hand at the time of casting the vote on the electronic voting machine at the polling station, it said.

Also read: Uddhav, Raj Thackeray reunite for BMC polls to protect Mumbai's Marathi identity

Similar allegations also came from Pune, where civic elections were also underway, with several voters expressing dissatisfaction over allegations that indelible ink was not being used in the polling and marks were being applied on voters’ fingers with marker pens to indicate that they had cast their ballots.

Several high-profile people in 'Maximum City', including former India cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, actors Akshay Kumar, John Abraham and others, besides politicians including Piyush Goyal and Hema Malini cast their votes in the BMC elections.

(With agency inputs)