For the 2017 Indian presidential election, members of parliament (MPs) and members of the legislative assembly (MLAs) were not allowed to use their normal pens to mark their choice on the presidential poll on monday.
According to Financial Express, the legislators had to use a specially-designed writing instrument that includes indelible violet ink that marks voters’ fingers. Each pen had a unique serial number, and the pens were distributed to voters before they entered the voting chambers. All votes using non-approved pens would be invalid.
After voting, the legislators had to return the pens to voting staff.
Writing instruments, namely pens, have been an important aspect of government recently. After President Donald Trump gave away the majority of the pens he used to sign legislation, the White House nearly faced a shortage of the engraved writing instruments.
With all of the news surrounding techniques of deterring voter fraud in the U.S. and abroad, a solution like India’s might be adopted in more countries for future elections. If so, that presents a good opportunity for distributors.
