Maharashtra local body polls: Cannot vote again even if ink is erased, says SEC

The Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) in an official statement on Thursday (January 15) clarified that even if a voter manages to erase the ink applied on the finger after voting, the concerned voter cannot vote again since the poll body maintains a record of all those who cast their vote.

The SEC issued the statement amid allegations of malpractice in the Maharashtra local body polls, with social media flooded with videos of common voters, politicians, and mediapersons using Acetone to wipe off the “indelible” ink on their fingers after voting.

Acetone is a colourless, volatile and flammable organic solvent with a sweet, pungent odour, widely used in nail polish removers, paint thinners, and cleaning agents due to its ability to dissolve many substances.

SEC’s official statement

“If it is found that a person has erased the ink from their finger and has come to vote again, appropriate legal action will be taken against them. Even if someone attempts to commit a malpractice by erasing the ink on the finger, the concerned voter cannot vote again. Necessary safeguards in this regard have already been put in place. Once a voter has cast their vote, a record of it is maintained. Therefore, merely erasing the ink does not enable a voter who has committed such malpractice to vote again,” read the official statement from the SEC.

Congress leader posts video

Mumbai Congress leader and Lok Sabha member Varsha Gaikwad posted a video of her party colleague using Acetone to wipe off the ink from his finger.

“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,” she posted on X.

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

“The management of the #BMCElection2026 this time raises 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!” Gaikwad wrote on X.

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

Also Read: BMC elections: Nearly 30 pc voter turnout recorded till 1.30 pm

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) rejected reports claiming that the ink marks on voters' fingers were being wiped off during the ongoing civic polls, and said in a statement that such media reports were factually incorrect.

It also asserted that BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani had not commented in this regard.

“The municipal commissioner has not made any statement whatsoever about indelible ink being wiped off after voting. Therefore, there is no factual basis to the reports being circulated in the media,” the BMC administration said.

(With agency inputs)