Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray today alleged, after casting his vote in the BMC Election 2026 along with his family, that there are complaints of people casting their vote multiple times due to the use of marker pens instead of electoral indelible ink.
Uddhav and Raj Thackeray level BMC poll 'ink fraud' allegations (Photo: ANI)
Amid the ongoing voting for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation election on Thursday, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray levelled allegations of “fraudulent means” being used by the ruling dispensation to come back to power. Thackeray, after casting his vote in the BMC Election 2026 along with his family, alleged that there are complaints of people casting their vote multiple times due to the use of marker pens instead of electoral indelible ink.
Thackeray alleged: “The ink that was used before is being replaced with a new pen, and there are complaints about this new pen. If you use a hand sanitiser, the ink disappears. Now, the only option left is to apply the ink, go outside, wipe it off, and then go back inside and vote again. This shows that the government can do anything to stay in power. We don’t call this an election when someone comes to power through such fraudulent means. A person was caught casting a vote twice…”
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Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray also levelled similar allegations and said they have received many complaints regarding people’s names missing from the voter list as well as regarding electoral ink that can now be wiped off easily after casting vote.
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“These people are creating all this mess, and that’s why I said, what does the Election Commission or the Commissioner do? Old EVM machines have been installed. There is so much greed in these people to gain power; I have never seen such a shameless government. We will protest now, all the people will protest… That’s why they want One Nation One Election, so that they can commit fraud and irregularities across the entire nation at the same time, and seize control of the entire country… So, all of this is a blatant murder of democracy,” the former Maharashtra CM alleged, as per ANI.
The State Election Commission has responded to the allegations and said attempting to erase the ink applied on a voter’s finger and thereby trying to create confusion among voters is a malpractice. The SEC warned of appropriate legal action against anyone erasing the ink from their finger and trying to cast vote again.
#WATCH | Maharashtra: On civic body elections, State Election Commissioner Dinesh T. Waghmare says, “This has come to our notice that there is some confusion being created about the ink (applied after the vote is cast), which is being put on the voters’ fingers. I want to say… pic.twitter.com/YLi5e7Yqmq
— ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2026
Even if someone attempts to commit 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, the SEC stated in its clarification amid the ongoing voting for the BMC as well as elections to 28 other municipal bodies across Maharashtra.
Maharashtra | Attempting to erase the ink applied on a voter’s finger and thereby trying to create confusion among voters is a malpractice. 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…
— ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2026
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The poll panel further stated that it has issued instructions again to all concerned authorities to remain vigilant in this matter.
The SEC further noted that under orders issued on November 19, 2011 and November 28, 2011, regarding the use of marker pens for applying ink on voters’ fingers, marker pens have been used in local self-government elections to mark voters’ fingers.
Mumbai | MNS chief Raj Thackeray says, “The ink that was used before is being replaced with a new pen, and there are complaints about this new pen. If you use a hand sanitizer, the ink disappears. Now, the only option left is to apply the ink, go outside, wipe it off, and then go… https://t.co/yRi4YIjryr pic.twitter.com/4P7ECMNify
— ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2026
As per these orders, the ink should be applied with a marker pen in such a way that it is clearly visible on the voter’s finger. The ink should be rubbed three to four times on the nail and on the skin above the nail. These instructions have been issued earlier and are also printed on the marker pens themselves, the State Election Commission stated.
It also issued an appeal to voters not to attempt the malpractice of erasing the ink.
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