Voting Concludes For BMC Elections As Ink Row And Booth Confusion Mar Polls

The BMC elections, held after a delay of nearly three years, are being closely watched as a key political test in Mumbai following the 2022 split in the Shiv Sena.

Uddhav Thackeray accused State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare of openly siding with the ruling Mahayuti alliance and demanded his suspension.

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Voting for Maharashtra’s civic elections across 29 municipal corporations, including the high-profile Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), concluded on Thursday evening, with the process marred by allegations over indelible ink, polling booth confusion and missing names on electoral rolls.

The BMC elections, held after a delay of nearly three years, are being closely watched as a key political test in Mumbai following the 2022 split in the Shiv Sena.

Ink Controversy Sparks Political Row

As polling progressed through the day, social media platforms were flooded with videos purportedly showing voters, politicians and journalists wiping off the so-called “indelible” ink from their fingers using acetone after casting their votes.

The issue triggered sharp reactions from opposition leaders, who accused the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance of compromising the integrity of the electoral process.

However, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation dismissed the allegations, calling reports about the ink being removable during the civic polls “factually incorrect”. The poll body also issued a statement rejecting claims that voters could vote more than once and ordered an inquiry into the incident.

Acetone, a colourless and highly volatile organic solvent commonly used in nail polish removers and cleaning agents, is known for its ability to dissolve a wide range of substances.

Congress Leaders Share Videos

Mumbai Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Varsha Gaikwad shared a video on X showing her party colleague removing the ink mark from his finger using acetone.

“BMC wiping off accountability? Since morning, we have been receiving several reports that the marker ink used to indicate voting can be easily wiped off. My colleague and his wife demonstrate how this ink disappears with acetone or nail polish remover,” Gaikwad wrote.

She further alleged lapses in the conduct of the elections, citing unchecked inducements to voters, missing names from electoral rolls, technical glitches on the State Election Commission website, and the alleged failure of indelible ink.

“The faith of people in our democratic process must be protected at all costs, but the election commission and the BMC appear completely unbothered,” she added.

Separately, a television journalist also posted a video from his studio showing the ink mark being wiped off with acetone after returning from Panvel, where he had voted in the civic polls.

Poll Body Rejects Allegations

Responding to the controversy, the BMC reiterated that polling staff follow standard procedures, under which indelible ink is applied to the voter’s left-hand finger at the polling station at the time of voting on the electronic voting machine.

The civic body maintained that claims of the ink being removable were incorrect.

Voters, Staff Flag Polling Day Issues

Beyond the ink row, several Mumbaikars reported difficulties in exercising their franchise, including changes in polling booths and confusion over name locations on physical electoral rolls.

Many voters said polling booths they had used for years were changed or merged without adequate prior information. Several were seen moving between helpdesks trying to locate their names, particularly during the morning hours.

Even election staff and party functionaries acknowledged problems, with many saying the voter lists provided to them had poorly printed photographs, making verification difficult.

Multiple polling stations across Mumbai witnessed such commotion, especially during the early hours of voting.

Voting Details And Turnout

Voting for the 29 municipal corporations, including the BMC, began at 7.30 AM on Thursday and concluded in the evening.

In Mumbai, polling was held across 227 wards, with around 1,700 candidates in the fray. A total of 1,03,44,315 citizens were eligible to vote in the BMC elections, including 55,16,707 male voters, 48,26,509 female voters and 1,099 voters categorised as ‘others’.

Votes will be counted on January 16.

Political Stakes High In Mumbai

Uddhav Thackeray accused State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare of openly siding with the ruling Mahayuti alliance and demanded his suspension.

The undivided Shiv Sena had been a dominant force in the BMC, winning 84 seats in alliance with the BJP, which secured 82 seats in the last election. The political landscape has since shifted following the party’s split in 2022.

For Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, the civic polls are seen as a battle to reclaim lost political ground and test whether the Thackeray surname continues to carry electoral weight in Mumbai and across Maharashtra.

Election Schedule And Key Dates

The State Election Commission announced on December 15, 2025, that elections for 29 municipal corporations, including the BMC, would be held in a single phase on January 15, 2026.

• Nomination process: December 23–30, 2025
• Last date for withdrawal: January 2, 2026
• Final list of candidates published: January 3, 2026
• Polling date: January 15, 2026

Counting of votes: January 16, 2026