Maharashtra civic polls: Take action against 'ink removers', says BJP's Shelar; slams Uddhav, Raj

Mumbai, Jan 15 (PTI) BJP leader and Maharashtra minister Ashish Shelar on Thursday demanded strict action against persons attempting to wipe off ink from their fingers after exercising their franchise claiming they were trying to facilitate bogus voting and undermining the sanctity of the electoral process.

Polls to 29 municipal corporations, including Mumbai, are underway and one of the main issues that has made its way to social media by way of viral videos is voters claiming the ink, put on the finger after exercising one's franchise, can be easily wiped off using a solvent like acetone.

Even Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray and his cousin and MNS's Raj Thackeray raised the issue and questioned the role of the Election Commission.

Hitting back, Shelar said, "People who are wiping off ink are attempting bogus voting. A criminal case must be registered against them and a thorough probe should be conducted. Strict action is necessary to protect the sanctity of elections and to ascertain the real motive behind creating confusion over the ink." Shelar told reporters it remains to be seen if any of those making public accusations had lodged or would lodge any formal complaint with the EC.

The remarks against the Election Commission are irresponsible and casting aspersions on the constitutional body amounted to weakening the democratic process, he added.

Shelar alleged the issue of ink was being politicised instead of being pursued through legal channels.

Questioning the timing of the allegations by the Thackeray cousins, Shelar said holding a press conference and levelling charges against the Election Commission on polling day could create confusion among voters and dent the credibility of the electoral process.

"If the claims were genuine, a formal complaint should have been filed. The accusations are aimed at deriving political mileage," Shelar said.

The Election Commission is an autonomous institution and any attempt to repeatedly create an atmosphere of suspicion would not be tolerated, the BJP MLA added.

He also indirectly accused the opposition of nurturing a defeatist mindset by targeting the poll authority.

In more than 50 seats (of the 227) in Mumbai, deposits of candidates belonging to the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena would be forfeited, Shelar said.

"The opposition’s allegations stem from the certainty of their defeat," he asserted.

Speaking earlier in the day, Maharashtra State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare said viral videos showing people removing ink from their fingers after casting vote are under investigation.

He warned of action against attempts to spread a false narrative. PTI ND BNM