Mumbai: A major controversy erupted in Mumbai, where civic polls were going on Thursday, after reports surfaced that ink marks applied on voters’ fingers could be easily removed, PTI reported.
There were multiple videos taking the rounds on social media showing voters removing the ‘indelible’ ink mark from their fingers using acetone, though BMC rejected them as claims and incorrect, the Times of India reported.
Mumbai Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Varsha Gaikwad shared a video on social media showing her party colleague using acetone to remove the ink mark from his finger.
Varsha 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.”
She also wrote, “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!”
BMC wiping off accountability?
— Prof. Varsha Eknath Gaikwad (@VarshaEGaikwad) January 15, 2026
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
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray claimed irregularities in the civic polls, terming it an attempt to murder democracy, and urged voters to dislodge the “brutal, fraud, corrupt and dictatorial regime “ of the BJP.
Uddhav and his cousin Raj Thackeray, who heads the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, targeted the State Election Commission over a range of issues, besides claiming that the ink used on voters' fingers could easily be erased.
Addressing a news conference, Uddhav demanded the suspension of State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare and alleged collusion between the poll body and the government.
Terming the SEC an anti-constitutional body, Uddhav said, “Never ever such things (alleged irregularities) have happened before”, and said the ink used by the poll commission could be erased using hand sanitisers.
Raj targeted the SEC over the use of the Printing Auxiliary Display Unit (PADU) in the civic polls.
The SEC did not even bother to give any clarification on the use of PADU and extended the canvassing time to allow distribution of money (by ruling parties), he alleged.
Raj Thackeray claimed that the State Election Commission is using a new pen, due to which the markings on the voter's fingers disappeared.
After casting his vote in the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) elections, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “I have also been marked with a marker, is it erasing? Creating a ruckus on everything and raising questions is wrong.” Ink applied to fingers with marker pens after casting a vote in the municipal corporation elections can be removed easily and lead to bogus voting, Maharashtra minister Sanjay Shirsat said.
"It is true that the ink of marker pen is getting removed easily. There is a possibility of bogus voting at some places due to this. Polling agents and officials should pay strict attention to this," he told reporters.