a left hand with only its index finger extended, marked by a purple-black indelible ink. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE? Devised to prevent a person from casting more than one vote, the ink has been used in Indian elections for long. The India-manufactured has also travelled to other parts of the world to be used in other elections.

WHO MANUFACTURES THE INK?

Mysore Paints & Varnish Ltd., a Karnataka Government Undertaking which is the sole manufacturer of the ink in india, told DD News that around 26.5 lakh phials or small bottles (with a capacity of 10 ml each) will be made for this election cycle. WHAT IS THE COST? Currently, each phial is sold at a fixed rate of Rs 174. IS IT EXPORTED ALSO? The website adds that the indelible ink is “exported to more than 25 countries that include Canada, Ghana, Nigeria, Mongolia, Malaysia, Nepal, South Africa and the Maldives THE LEGAL BACKING The Representation of the People Act (RoPA) of 1951 mentions the ink. Section 61 states that rules may be made under the Act “for the marking with indelible ink of the thumb or any other finger of every elector who applies for a ballot paper or ballot papers for the purpose of voting at a polling station before delivery of such paper or papers to him.” WHEN IS IT APPLIED? Today, once a voter has her credentials checked at the polling booth, and before she casts her vote by pressing a button on the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), the indelible ink is applied on her finger. This has been the case for decades, although the mode of voting has changed. WHAT MAKES THE INK INDELIBLE? Indelible ink contains silver nitrate. It is a colourless compound which becomes visible when exposed to ultraviolet light, including sunlight. The higher silver nitrate’s concentration, say around 20 percent, the higher will be the ink’s quality, according to a report from the United Nations Development Programme. For up to 72 hours after application it can remain resistant to soap, liquids, home-cleansing, detergents, etc. According to the government’s MyGov website, “This water-based ink also contains a solvent like alcohol to allow its faster drying. The precise protocol for making this ink including its chemical composition and the quantity of each constituent is, however, not known to many people.”