K'taka polls will leave a 'mark' on voters

Elections in Karnataka this year will have a visible change compared to the earlier elections.

The Election Commission has decided to do away with the earlier procedure where an ink blotch is applied on the index finger.

Karnataka poll on May 10, 16, 22

According to the new pattern, which will be in place from this election onwards, a line will be drawn that would run from top of the nail to the bottom.

According to sources in the EC, the new procedure had been adopted in order to ensure that there are no proxy votes.

Over the years, it has been noticed that some voters would apply Vaseline on their finger. After the voters' ink is applied, they were able to easily wash it off.

The EC feels that the new procedure would be fool proof. A voter intending to cheat would have to apply Vaseline on the entire nail and this would be easily visible to the person applying the ink.

Irrespective of what result awaits contestants, two Karnataka firms will surely reap huge profit from the three-phase election to be held in the state.

Ready to deliver:
Mysore Paints and Varnish Limited manufactures indelible ink (voters' ink) and Bharath Electronics Limited supplies Electronic Voting Machines. Both firms supply ink and EVMs to the rest of the country as well.

With the Election Commission ordering indelible ink, MPVL in Mysore has become a hub of activity. The MPVL has been the only supplier of indelible ink for elections in India since 46 years.

The MPVL, which is a Karnataka government-owned company, also supplies indelible ink to other countries like Malaysia.

For the Karnataka elections, the EC has ordered for 110,000 bottles of voters' ink. Each bottle comprises 25 ml of ink and the same is applied when a voter casts his vote.

Officers at MPVL told rediff.com that they are ready to supply the order and the same can be handed over any day the EC asks for it.

So far, MPVL has supplied ink for 13 general elections and the product has been tested without any complaints on nearly 6000 million voters. If MPVL is all geared up for the elections, Bharath Electronic Limited is not far behind.

BEL, the inventor of the EVMs will supply 50,000 machines for elections in Karnataka, where voting will take place in 39,758 polling booths. Each machine has been manufactured at a cost of Rs 10,500.