Congress Leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday launched a scathing attack on the Election Commission, accusing it of "gaslighting citizens" over the controversial use of marker pens instead of traditional indelible ink during Maharashtra's civic body elections, including the high-stakes Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls held on Thursday.

In a post on X, Gandhi shared reports of voters easily wiping off the ink mark and declared, "Election commission gaslighting citizens is how trust has collapsed in our democracy. Vote Chori (theft) is an anti-national act." His remarks came after opposition leaders, including those from Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS, alleged that the marker ink could be removed with sanitiser or acetone, raising fears of potential bogus or repeat voting.

The controversy erupted when videos surfaced on social media showing voters removing the supposed indelible mark from their fingers shortly after polling. Opposition parties claimed this undermined the integrity of the electoral process, with leaders like Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray questioning the shift from the standard Mysore Paints indelible ink, which has been a cornerstone of preventing multiple voting in Indian elections for decades.

The Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) initially defended the use of approved marker pens, noting they have been employed in local body polls since 2011, but faced mounting pressure as complaints grew. On Thursday evening, the SEC announced a thorough probe into the ink quality and decided to revert to traditional indelible ink for upcoming Zilla Parishad elections to restore confidence.

The BJP swiftly countered Gandhi's allegations, accusing him of spreading disinformation and preparing excuses for an expected poor performance. BJP National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla hit back on X, calling it the return of the "Bahana brigade" and questioning if Gandhi was accepting defeat before vote counting even concluded. He referred to Gandhi's past claims of "vote chori" in other elections, labeling them baseless and accusing him of discrediting institutions. A Shinde Sena leader echoed this, dismissing the row as a recycled "fake narrative" seen during previous polls like the Lok Sabha elections.

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This latest flashpoint highlights deepening political polarization over electoral transparency in Maharashtra, where civic polls are seen as a litmus test for major alliances ahead of future state contests. The SEC's inquiry and policy shift aim to address concerns, but opposition parties continue to demand accountability, insisting that any compromise in voter marking safeguards threatens democracy's foundation. As vote counting progresses, the ink row has overshadowed results, fueling debates on institutional trust and fair play in India's electoral system.

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