Trivia on Indelible Ink used in Indian Elections.

1. Indelible Ink
Eleven facts every Indian should know
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2. The indelible ink that’s used in our elections was developed by
National Physical Laboratories, Delhi in 1962, and has been in use
since the 1962 Lok Sabha elections.
NPL created the current
formula
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3. Though formulated by National Physical Laboratories, Delhi, the
manufacture of this indelible ink is licensed to, and carried out by
Mysore Paints and Varnish Ltd, a company founded company
founded by Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV in 1937. The company is now
owned by the Karnataka government. Source: Livemint
Licensed to Mysore Paints & Varnish Ltd
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4. The company specializes in manufacturing quality indelible ink in
association with the Election Commission, the National Physical
Laboratory and the National Research Development Corporation
(NRDC). It is the sole authorized supplier of this type of ink in India
with an exclusive licence granted by the NRDC. Source: The Hindu
Sole Authorized Supplier
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5. 20,140 litres of violet ink are to be used in the 2014 General Elections.
The demand was about 19, 000 litres during 2009 general elections.
Source: ECI
20+ Kilo Litres!
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6. The making of this ink is a secret — at Mysore Paints and Varnish Ltd,
only the quality control manager knows the formula. He works in a
secluded, and closed room. Source: ECI
Shhh.. Secret
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7. The ink is applied on the voter’s finger as a line from the top end of the
nail to the bottom of the first joint of the left forefinger with effect
from 1/2/2006. Earlier, the ink was applied on the joint of nail and
skin. Source: PIB
Ink your finger!
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8. The ink is applied differently across the world — in India, it’s dabbed
with a stick, while in Cambodia and Maldives, voters dip a finger
into the ink, in Burkina Faso and Burundi, the ink is applied with a
brush. In Turkey it is applied with nozzles and in Afghanistan with
pens. Source: The Hindu
How to apply?
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9. This ink contains silver nitrate which stains on exposure to UV light,
leaving a mark that is impossible to wash off — it goes off when the
skin cells are regenerated. Source: PIB
Chemistry lesson
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10. The use of indelible ink in India did not start in the 1962 elections, but
in 1951, and is considered as a stroke of genius of the then Chief
Election Commissioner, Sukumar Sen. Nearly 3.9 million (5 ml
each) phials of this ink were used in the 1952 elections. Source: The
New Indian Express
Used even in 1951
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11. Each bottle can mark 700 fingers. Source: Livemint
700 fingers!
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12. Mysore Paints and Varnish Ltd exports indelible ink to 28 countries
across the world including Turkey, South Africa, Nigeria, Nepal,
Ghana, Papua-New Guinea, Burkina Faso, Canada, Togo, Sierra
Leone, Malaysia, Cambodia. They have been exporting since 1976.
We export too!
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