Inked into History:10 facts about the indelible ink used in Indian elections
Elections in India have always involved the little violet mark on the index finger.
No eligible voter may cast a second vote in an election, thanks to the tiny mark created by indelible ink.
Indelible ink, also referred to as "voter's ink," is produced by the state-owned Mysore Paints and Varnishes Ltd (MPVL).
The MPVL factory was established during Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar's rule at the beginning of the 20th Century.
It is the only company permitted to produce indelible ink in India since 1962 and it also supplies the ink to 30 other nations.
The premium ink, according to MPVL, dries out completely in less than 40 seconds. It also leaves its mark after even a little period of time on the skin.
Silver nitrate, which is present in concentrations varying from seven per cent to 25 per cent depending on usage, is what gives ink its indelible quality.
To mark children during polio drives in southern states, MPVL expanded into the production of specialised marker pens created with indelible ink in 2017. It was kept mild because kids frequently put their fingers in their mouths.
While marker pens have been utilised in presidential and vice presidential elections, the Election Commission of India has continued to use traditional vials in Assembly and general elections.
According to the company, nearly 4.5 billion voters in India and throughout the world have been marked with its ink through 2019.