Maharashtra Ink Controversy in Civic Polls
Analysis based on 16 articles · First reported Jan 15, 2026 · Last updated Jan 16, 2026
The controversy surrounding the 'indelible' ink in India — Maharashtra civic polls could erode public trust in the electoral process, potentially leading to political instability. For Kores (India) Limited, the supplier of the controversial pens, there might be a negative impact on its reputation and future government contracts.
A controversy erupted during the India — Maharashtra civic polls over the quality of 'indelible' ink used in marker pens, with opposition leaders alleging that the mark could be easily removed, enabling bogus voting. Videos circulated on social media demonstrating the ink being wiped off with chemicals like acetone. Rahul Gandhi, a Congress leader, escalated the row by accusing the India — Election Commission of India of 'gaslighting' citizens and calling alleged vote theft an 'anti-national act'. The India — Election Commission of India ordered a thorough probe into the ink quality and the authenticity of the videos. State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare announced that the India — Election Commission of India would revert to traditional ink produced by Mysore Paints and Varnish for upcoming Zilla Parishad elections, abandoning the marker pens supplied by Kores (India) Limited. Opposition leaders, including Varsha Gaikwad, Raj Thackeray, and Uddhav Thackeray, voiced strong concerns, with Uddhav Thackeray accusing Dinesh Waghmare of siding with the ruling BJP-led alliance and demanding his suspension.
Set up alerts, explore entity relationships, search across thousands of events, and build custom intelligence feeds.
Open Dashboard