The Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has strongly refuted allegations raised by the Thackeray brothers regarding the use of removable ink during Maharashtra’s municipal elections. Responding to claims by Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS president Raj Thackeray, the ruling Sena faction asserted that there was no irregularity in the voting process and accused the opposition of creating a false narrative.

Shiv Sena leader Manisha Kayande said similar allegations were made during the Lok Sabha elections and were later proven baseless. Speaking to the media, she stated that the ink applied on voters’ fingers was clearly visible and could not be removed, even with nail polish remover. She criticised Uddhav Thackeray for raising objections while polling was still underway.

Another senior leader, Shaina NC, echoed the sentiment and said the opposition was preparing excuses ahead of unfavourable results. She remarked that once the election outcomes are announced, allegations against the Election Commission, EVMs, or voter ink would lose credibility. She further claimed that consistent grassroots work, not complaints, determines electoral success.

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The controversy erupted after Uddhav Thackeray accused the State Election Commission (SEC) of serious lapses, including duplicate voters and the alleged use of easily removable ink. Raj Thackeray also questioned the use of marker pens instead of traditional indelible ink, sarcastically asking whether development meant allowing voters to erase ink and vote again.

Meanwhile, counting for the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation elections is underway across major cities including Mumbai, Pune, Thane, and Nagpur under tight security. Due to phased counting and a high number of candidates, final results in many wards are expected late in the evening.

The SEC reported a healthy voter turnout across the state, with Mumbai recording 52.94 per cent, Pune 54 per cent, Pimpri-Chinchwad 58 per cent, and Kolhapur a notable 70 per cent. A total of 3.48 crore voters participated in elections covering 2,801 seats, shaping the political landscape across 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra.

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