ISLAMABAD, Nov 21: The Election Commission has decided not to use magnetised ink in the local government elections, after discovering that credible post-election biometric verification was possible with a high quality ink having no iron particles.
According to sources, the decision was taken in order to cut the huge expenditure that was to be incurred on procuring magnetised ink. The Pakistan Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) had estimated the cost of the ink at around Rs2.5 billion.
An official said there were 130 to 150 ridges in the thumb and if around 15 of them could be read, the identity of the person could be verified. He said the magnetised ink, which contained iron particles, was ideal, but an effective exercise to track down bogus voting was possible with an ink of a lower grade without iron particles. But in this case the quality of inkpads should be high and they must be cotton-based, instead of low quality sugarcane husk.
Thumb impression verification carried out by the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) had revealed that magnetised ink had not been used in at least four constituencies of the national and provincial assemblies in Sindh. The ink had been supplied by the PCSIR, which insists that it had been prepared in accordance with the given specifications.
The task has once again been given to the same organisation, which will produce a small fraction of the required quantity and procure the rest from the market.
Since Nadra has so far carried out the verification of cases from Sindh only, it is unclear whether the ink with required properties had reached any part of the country.