election ink
Voting for the first phase of Bihar assembly elections is taking place today. Any citizen who goes to the polling booth to exercise his franchise is being marked with blue ink on his finger. This mark of participation in democracy is not just an identity, but a guarantee that you have fulfilled your duty. This is the same ink which turns deep black after some time of being applied and no matter how hard you try, it does not get removed from your finger within a month.
We see this mark in every election, but have we ever wondered where this ‘magical’ ink is made? Which company makes it and what is the cost of this mark on a voter? Today we tell you the whole story of this ‘solid color’ of democracy.
A company whose formula is ‘top secret’
Only one government company in the country has the responsibility of making this special ink. ‘Mysore Paints and Varnish Limited’ (MPVL) based in Mysore, Karnataka is the only company that manufactures this ink for the Election Commission. You will be surprised to know that the formula for making this ink is ‘top secret’.
This formula was prepared by the National Physical Laboratory of India (NPL) and was handed over to MPVL. This formula has never been made public till date. By law, no other private or government company is allowed to make it. This indelible ink was first used in the 1962 general elections in India, and since then it has become an integral part of Indian democracy.
There is another company in India, Rayudu Laboratory of Hyderabad, which makes this type of ink, but it is not used in Indian elections. That company exports its ink to many other countries of the world. But the Election Commission of India completely trusts the MPVL of Mysore. This company manufactures not only election ink but also special ink used in printing of Indian currency notes.
Only Rs 174 is spent on 700 votes
You may be surprised to know the value of this strongest symbol of democracy. This ink comes in small glass bottles. One vial contains 10 milligrams (mg) of ink. According to the information, during the Lok Sabha elections held last year, the price of one 10mg vial was fixed at Rs 174.
According to the standards of the Election Commission, fingerprints of about 700 voters can be marked from one vial. If it is calculated, then the cost of this indelible ink on one voter comes to only around 25 paise. That is, for 25 paise it is ensured that the election process remains fair and no person can vote again.
How does this ink work?
There is a special scientific reason behind this ink not erasing. A chemical named ‘Silver Nitrate’ is mainly used in making it. Along with this, some other chemicals are also added, the formula of which has been kept secret.
As soon as this ink comes in contact with the skin of your finger, it starts working within just 20 to 30 seconds. The silver nitrate present in the ink reacts chemically with the salt (sodium) present in our skin. ‘Sodium chloride’ is formed from this reaction. This is why initially this ink looks blue, but within a few hours it turns deep black.
Its biggest quality is that when it comes in contact with water, it becomes even more solid and thick. This is the reason that it is not affected by soap, detergent or any kind of chemical and this mark does not disappear until the old skin cells automatically die off. This may take more than a month.
Let us tell you that keeping in view the future needs, the company is also exploring the option of marker pens instead of these glass vials. This product is currently in the development stage and if it is successful, it will become easier to ink polling booths in the future.