The MNS chief said the earlier indelible ink had been replaced with a new pen, about which complaints had been received. He claimed the ink could be wiped off using hand sanitiser, raising concerns that a voter could erase the mark and attempt to vote again
Raj Thackeray outside the polling booth in Dadar on Thursday. Pic/Atul Kamble
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Thursday alleged irregularities in the voting process, claiming that a change in the indelible ink pen used during polling could enable malpractice.
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
Speaking to reporters, Thackeray said the earlier ink had been replaced with a new pen, about which complaints had been received. He claimed that the ink could be wiped off using hand sanitiser, potentially allowing a voter to erase the mark and attempt to vote again.
“This indicates that anything can be done to retain power,” he alleged, urging voters and party workers to remain vigilant.
Thackeray also claimed that an individual had been caught attempting to cast a vote twice.
BMC dismisses reports of ink being wiped off voters’ fingers
Meanwhile, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation on Thursday rejected reports claiming that the indelible ink marks on voters' fingers were being wiped off during the ongoing civic polls and that the BMC chief had acknowledged the matter.
The civic body 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.
As per procedure, polling staff apply indelible ink to one finger of the voter's left hand at the time of casting the vote on the electronic voting machine at the polling station.
In the BMC, 1,700 candidates are vying for Mumbai's 227 electoral wards. A total of 10,231 polling stations have been set up across Mumbai, and 64,375 officers and staff have been deployed for duty.
Voting begins for high-stakes civic polls in Maharashtra
Voting in 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra began on Thursday morning with spotlight on Mumbai, where the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is locked in an intense battle with the reunited Thackeray cousins for control of India's largest and richest civic body.
Polling for 2,869 seats spread across 893 wards in these municipal corporations began amid tight security at 7.30 am and will conclude at 5.30 pm. A total of 3.48 crore voters are eligible to decide the fate of 15,931 candidates.
In the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), whose annual budget is over Rs 74, 400 crore, 1,700 candidates are vying for 227 seats in elections being held after nine years, after a four-year delay. More than 25,000 police personnel have been deployed across Mumbai to oversee elections.
Except for Mumbai, the other urban bodies have multi-member wards. Vote count will take place on January 16.
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