For decades, India has used the ink to mark voters after they cast their votes
Mysuru:
In India, the world’s most populous democracy, elections mean millions of voters with an index finger smeared with purple, and a factory in the southern city of Mysuru is the source of all the country’s indelible ink.
For decades, India has used the ink, made mainly from silver nitrate, to mark voters after they cast their ballots to prevent duplicate votes and fraud. When exposed to sunlight, the ink turns the skin and fingernails purple, lasts for about two weeks and is almost impossible to erase.
Mysore Paints And Varnish Limited, founded in 1937, is the only company authorized to manufacture the ink in India, which is preparing to hold general elections this year. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is widely expected to get another term in power.
Workers are engaged in the production of indelible ink used during elections to prevent double voting, at the government-run Mysore Paints and Varnish company in Mysuru
Photo credit: REUTERS
Since the start of the year, the company has shipped a record 2.7 million ink bottles in honor of the 970 million people registered to vote.
“We have not had any rejection this year,” said Vishalakshi K, quality control manager of the company.
The most populous state of Uttar Pradesh placed the largest order, while the small island region of Lakshadweep placed the smallest order for just 110 bottles, company executives said.
The Election Commission has set the price per bottle at Rs 174 ($2.1), giving the company, whose main business is making paint for public transport vehicles, an income of more than $7 million from the vote.
A staff shows an indelible ink bottle used during elections to prevent double voting, at the government-run Mysore Paints and Varnish company in Mysuru
Photo credit: REUTERS
Mysore Paints also has orders for indelible ink from several countries in Asia that plan to use it in their elections.
Despite the difficulty of removing the ink, voters have been known to use makeup-removing micellar water, lemon juice, and raw papaya juice on the purple spot, often with little success.
To ensure these fraudsters’ plans are foiled, Mohammed Irfan, director of the company, says election officials should wipe voters’ fingers before applying the ink.
“This ensures that the ink stays put and no one can wipe it off,” he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by WhatsNew2Day staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)