Mumbai witnessed respectable voter turnout during the state's polling, but confusion over booth locations prevented even higher participation. Many voters struggled to find their designated polling stations, dampening the overall enthusiasm.
Marker Pen Use Sparks Major Political Row
The election's biggest controversy centered on the use of marker pens instead of traditional indelible ink to mark voters. This decision by election authorities triggered fierce accusations from opposition parties.
Opposition Alleges Electoral Malpractice
MNS chief Raj Thackeray voiced strong objections to the marker pen method. He claimed receiving widespread complaints that the ink could be easily removed using sanitizer. "Till now permanent ink was used. This time they introduced new marker pens. We are getting reports from everywhere that the marker ink gets wiped off with sanitizer. The entire administration appears to be working for the ruling parties," Thackeray stated.
Shiv Sena UBT leaders went further, demanding immediate suspension of State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare. They also called for action against BMC chief Bhushan Gagrani for alleged irregularities in the polling process. One leader dramatically declared, "Not only is the ink being wiped off, but democracy itself is being erased."
Ruling Party Dismisses Allegations
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis countered the opposition's claims, suggesting they were preparing excuses for anticipated electoral losses. "The election commission has employed marker pens multiple times previously. I believe some people are already creating reasons to blame for tomorrow's results," Fadnavis remarked.
Election Commission Defends Its Decision
The State Election Commission issued clarifications regarding the marker pen controversy. Officials explained that these pens contain the same indelible ink used traditionally and have been standard in local body elections since 2011.
The SEC emphasized that anyone attempting to remove the ink and vote again would face strict legal consequences. Despite the heated allegations, polling remained largely peaceful across the state, with only isolated incidents of bogus voting reported in Mumbai and Jalgaon.
Voter Confusion Over Polling Booths
State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare addressed the booth location issues separately. He noted that since civic polls hadn't occurred since 2017, many voters mistakenly checked their assembly constituency booths instead of municipal ones. "Voters became confused and looked at their assembly booths. Many also checked the Election Commission of India website rather than the BMC's dedicated portal," Waghmare explained.
The combination of booth confusion and the marker pen controversy created an unusually contentious atmosphere around what otherwise appeared as orderly civic elections in Maharashtra's financial capital.
