CHENNAI: In preparation for the Assembly elections, Greater Chennai Corporation requires over 150 different items for use at polling stations. Foremost among these is the indelible ink applied to voters’ fingers.
The process of dispatching this ink to all polling stations is currently under way.
Indelible Ink, placed on the fingers of voters during elections, was introduced to prevent fake votes and prevent people from voting more than once.
During India’s first general election held in 1951–52, a robust method was required to identify voters and prevent them from returning to vote again.
The ministry of law of the Government of India, in collaboration with the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and the National Research Development Corporation (NRDC), developed this indelible ink.
Scientists from CSIR-NPL, led by Dr. Salimuzzaman Siddiqui, developed an ink containing silver nitrate that remains indelible on the skin for an extended period.
This ink is manufactured by Mysore Paints & Varnish Ltd (MPVL), a government-owned enterprise located in Mysuru. The company has been producing and supplying this ink since 1962.
The silver nitrate present in this ink reacts with the salts in the skin to form silver chloride. Upon exposure to sunlight, this compound darkens and remains indelible until the skin cells naturally exfoliate (approximately 1–2 weeks).
Until 1971, the ink was applied to the fingertip; subsequently, it has been applied to the fingernail.
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