63,100 vials indelible ink reaches Kerala; two and a half times more than required quantity

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: 63,100 vials of ink are required in the state for index finger ink, which is the hallmark of elections. With only four days left for the Lok Sabha elections in Kerala, Indelible Ink to be applied as a sign of voting has reached all the distribution centres. State Chief Electoral Officer Sanjay Kaul said that the ink mark used to prevent fraudulent voting and ensure transparent elections is the proud symbol of elections in the country.
There are 2,77,49,159 voters in the state. The purpose of inking is to prevent a person from voting more than once. The ink dries in just 40 seconds when applied to the finger. It will take days to fade.
25,231 booths in the state have received two and a half times more ink bottles than required. At a cost of Rs 1 crore 30 lakh, the Election Commission procured the ink required for the state from Mysuru Paint and Varnish Company (MVPL), which is owned by the Karnataka government. It is the only organization in India that has the right to manufacture the ink.
A bottle contains ten ml of ink. About 700 voters can get inked. This method was first started in the 1962 Lok Sabha elections. The formula used in the ink was developed by the National Physical Laboratory of India.