PAFFREL says ending indelible ink use could save Rs. 100 million per election

Discontinuing the practice of applying indelible ink on voters’ fingers to indicate that they have cast their ballot could result in savings of around Rs. 100 million in public funds per election, the Executive Director of People's Action for Free & Fair Elections (PAFFREL), Rohana Hettiarachchi stated.

Rohana Hettiarachchi made these remarks at a special media briefing held at the PAFFREL head office today (24).

Hettiarachchi described the proposal as a positive step from multiple perspectives, noting that it has been a subject of discussion for several years among stakeholders, political parties and civil society organizations.

He noted that abolishing the practice would reduce costs associated with the importation, distribution and administrative handling of indelible ink, thereby contributing to an overall reduction in election expenditure.

The PAFFREL Executive Director further pointed out that the mandatory requirement of voter identity cards has strengthened voter verification processes, significantly reducing the possibility of impersonation during elections.

In this context, he said the need for indelible ink has diminished compared to earlier times.

Hettiarachchi also noted that the use of indelible ink has been part of Sri Lanka’s electoral process for decades. However, he argued that with modernized electoral rolls and the use of technology, opportunities for fraudulent voting have been largely minimized.