Mysuru, Apr 11: Trendy marker pens will soon replace bottle and brush at polling booths in Karnataka for marking index fingers of voters with indelible ink as a proof that they have voted.
Mysore Paints and Varnish Limited (MPVL), which is the sole supplier of ink for elections across India, has reportedly got clearances from the Election Commission for full-scale production. It supplies ink to a few foreign countries too.
Marker pens were recently used in some elections in Afghanistan and feedback was good. HA Venkatesh, chairman of MPVL said that Malaysia, Cambodia and Nepal have also ordered for marker pens.
If sources are to be believed, marker pens will be used from the very next election in Karnataka. In practice since 1962, bottle ink was used for the last time in recently concluded Nanjangud and Gundlupet assembly bypolls, wherein MPVL had supplied 1,100 bottles of indelible ink, each containing 10ml of ink. Each bottle, which costs Rs 142, suffices for nearly 1,500 voters. In the 2013 Karnataka assembly election, 1.50 lakh bottles of ink were supplied.
Venkatesh said, "The Election Commission gave directions to come out with indelible ink in a marker pen. The Commission tested the marker pen and was satisfied. The laboratory, too, is happy with the marker pen which is user-friendly and also cost-effective.”
“Marker pens were mooted following feedback from voters that marking by brushes is not neat. Marker pens are also easier to store and transport. Each marker pen can be used for nearly 1,000 people. The rate for each marker pen is yet to be decided by the election commission. We have stocked all raw materials for marker pens, and once we get approval from the EC, we will start manufacturing them," he said.
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