Mumbai BMC Elections Spark Voter Ink Controversy and Frustration
Voting for the long-awaited Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections began early on Thursday morning. Social media users quickly started sharing their experiences. From senior citizens to first-time voters and celebrities, many proudly displayed their inked fingers. However, the day was not without significant problems.
Complaints Flood Social Media Over Voter Ink and Logistics
Many citizens took to social media to voice their grievances. They reported missing names from voter lists. Others complained about being assigned to wrong or distant polling booths. A major controversy emerged regarding the voter ink.
City Congress president Varsha Gaikwad posted a video on X. In the clip, party spokesperson Sachin Sawant demonstrates how the black mark on his finger can be easily removed. He uses acetone or nail polish remover. "BMC wiping off accountability?" Gaikwad wrote in her tweet. She stated that her party had received numerous reports about the issue since morning.
Television journalists across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) also conducted similar demonstrations. Common voters showed on camera how a steady two-minute rub with acetone could completely erase the voting mark. This raised serious concerns about potential voter fraud. It could allow unscrupulous individuals to vote multiple times.
Former Corporator Highlights Systemic Failures
Former Bandra corporator Asif Zakaria expressed deep disappointment on social media. He pointed out that the BMC is the world's richest municipal corporation. It has an annual budget of Rs 75,000 crore. Yet, the elections were held four years late. He listed several critical failures:
- No home voting facility for citizens aged 85 and above.
- VVPAT machines were not used during the voting process.
- Illogical and wrongful broken electoral parts were reported.
- The Matadhikaar voter search apps from BMC and the Election Commission remained non-functional.
"Citizens are confused and frustrated," Zakaria stated. He blamed the BMC for failing in its most basic democratic duty. He connected these issues to the low voter turnout observed during the day.
Celebrities Set Example by Casting Their Votes
Despite the problems, many celebrities made a public effort to vote. Customary videos of stars at polling booths were plentiful. Writer Gulzar and actor Aamir Khan, along with his family, visited booths in Bandra early in the day. His former wives Reena and Kiran Rao, and children Ira and Junaid, accompanied him.
Other notable figures who voted included Hema Malini, Akshay Kumar, Sachin Tendulkar, John Abraham, Janhvi Kapoor, and Boney Kapoor. They all encouraged Mumbaikars to participate in the democratic process.
Actor Nana Patekar traveled for four hours from his village to cast his vote in Mumbai. He posted a message on social media urging people to treat election day seriously. "Election day is not a holiday. So, do not treat it as one. Go out and have your say," he advised. He told voters to choose their preferred candidate without overthinking the future outcomes.
Additional Concerns: Missing VVPAT Slips and Market Closure
Photographer Avinash Gowariker highlighted another issue. He rued the absence of VVPAT slips at polling stations. "There is no problem except the fact that there are no voting slips," he said. He noted that this caused confusion. People were trying to find their voting numbers, which slowed down the process. Each vote took about five minutes. Some frustrated voters even left without casting their ballots. Gowariker questioned why political parties failed to distribute election slips this year.
Another social media user pointed out an economic impact. Stock exchanges in Mumbai were closed for the municipal elections. The user criticized this decision, stating that shutting down internationally linked exchanges for a local election shows poor planning. It reflects a serious lack of appreciation for secondary economic effects.
The BMC elections, held after a long delay, were marked by both civic pride and significant administrative shortcomings. While celebrities led by example, many ordinary citizens faced hurdles that marred their voting experience.
