Ink the finger only after casting vote

I JUST saw an Election Commission (EC) video on Facebook about the voting process on election day tomorrow. It shows a voter going into the voting room and getting her identity checked.

After that she is told to proceed to the second polling clerk who dips her finger into the bottle of indelible ink and then gives her a ballot paper.

The narrator then tells voters to be careful not to cause any smudges on the ballot paper as that may cause the ballot to be considered spoilt.

But why dip the finger into the ink at this stage raising the risk that it could inadvertently cause smudges on the paper? The ballot papers this time are longer than ever and handling them is quite likely to result in smudges as the paper is handed over before the ink dries on the finger.

To prevent any smudges, the best thing is not to ink the finger at this stage but after the ballot has been marked and dropped into the box.

The EC should make this important change in the balloting room process: Inking of the finger should be done only after the ballot has been marked and cast. This will avoid any possibility of smudges.

Don’t put the responsibility on the voters not to smudge their vote as it is the EC that should be responsible in ensuring its process does not cause problems.

RAVINDER SINGH Batu Maung, Penang