MPVL gets 99k bottles of indelible ink order for GP polls

Mysuru: In view of upcoming gram panchayath elections in the State, the Election Commission has placed order for 99 thousand bottles of indelible liquid ink with Mysore Paints and Varnish Limited. MPVL is the only public sector company authorised to produce the indelible ink for elections in the country.

MPVL chairman N.V. Panish said the total turnover of the order is Rs 1.15 crores. Each 5 ml indelible ink bottle suffices to mark at least 200 voters, MPVL sources said.

A secret formula prepared by National Resource Defense Corporation, is being used for this ink, and the company is manufacturing ink for all the elections under a tripartite agreement between Election Commission of India, NRDC and MPVL.

The company which was started by Maharaja of Mysuru, Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar to manufacture paints and related products in 1937, became public sector company since 1947. In 1962, ECI selected it to manufacture indelible ink. The ink produced by the company was first used in third general election in India.