More indelible ink in this election

Guwahati, Mar 18 (UNI) Elections without political parties and candidates, banners and posters, polling booths, ballot papers or EVM's and security personnel might sound impossible.

Equally indispensable to the poll process is the indelible ink used to mark the voter's finger after one has cast the ballot.

The Election Commission (EC) takes into account not only the number of voting machines required but also the amount of ink needed.

The EC has estimated that 66,923.07 litres of ink would be required for the forthcoming elections.

This time the EC has decided to mark the voter's finger from the upper tip of the nail to the first joint. Earlier, only the upper tip was marked with a single spot. So more ink would be required during coming elections.

As per estimates, with a 200 ml ink bottle, about 60 to 70 people can be marked. Thus approximately 66,923.07 litres of ink would be required for the 1.74 crore electrorate of the state.

As much as 50 per cent of the total ink needed would be brought from New Delhi. Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra while Andhra Pradesh would account for 10-12 per cent individually rpt individually.

Neighbouring West Bengal would provide only about two per cent of the total ink required as that state is set to go to polls after Asom. The rest would be provided from within the state.

UNI SG SP PL KLC1545