Kolhapur: The graduates’ and teachers’ legislative council elections are notorious for the high number of invalid votes, despite the expectation that these educated voters would take care while marking their ballot papers.Election authorities, political parties and candidates repeatedly explain the dos and don’ts, yet a substantial number of ballots continue to be rejected. In the Pune division graduates’ constituency, 17,299 votes were declared invalid, while Nagpur graduates recorded 15,302 invalid votes and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar recorded 11,783.In these graduates’ constituencies, the number of invalid votes exceeded the gap between the first-preference votes secured by the leading and second-placed candidates, highlighting their potential significance in determining the outcome.The teachers’ constituencies also recorded invalid votes, with 1,673 ballots rejected in Pune and 627 in Amravati. At the beginning of counting, officials first count the ballot papers and determine how many are valid and invalid. They then calculate the winning quota—the number of valid votes a candidate must secure to be elected.These MLC elections follow a preferential voting system in which votes can be transferred according to voters’ marked preferences. Voters indicate their choices using the numerals 1, 2, 3 and so on. To help voters avoid mistakes, parties stressed that the first preference could be marked with a simple vertical stroke representing the numeral “1”, without touching the borders of the designated box. Despite these repeated instructions, large numbers of ballots were still declared invalid.Sunil Modi, Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate for Pune graduates’ seat and a co-opted corporator in Kolhapur Municipal Corporation, said invalid votes typically accounted for 8% to 10% in MLC elections in Maharashtra and other states.“We observed that voters give repetitive same preference for different candidates, there is some overwriting, some give tick marks, some write numbers such that the numeral cannot be recognized as per the given patterns. There always has been 8 to 10% such invalid votes in MLC elections not just in Maharashtra but in other states also.”According to political experts, the preferential voting system is meant for those people who are literate and can understand wholly the value of their vote.“This system was brought in exclusively for the graduates and teachers who could understand the system properly. A wise voter can give preference to all candidates as at least one of his votes of any preference can bear some value in the results. Unfortunately neither the candidates nor the voters know about the system. One mistake or a simple overwriting can make the vote invalid and the candidates will hurt eventually,” Ravindra Bhanage, professor of political science at Shivaji University, Kolhapur, said.“Since these elections are held once in six years, all stakeholders should take efforts at least from months before so that the voters are trained to cast valid votes,” said Bhanage.“The voters should realise that the winning quota of votes is determined only on the basis of valid votes. It should be imbibed in the mind of voters that one of their preferences may be useful in the end and get a clear mandate,” added the professor.Scribblings on ballot papers steal the showMore than the winners and losers, it was the messages scribbled on ballot papers that became a talking point during the two-day counting of votes for the Aurangabad graduates’ constituency, which continued until Wednesday.As ballot boxes were opened at the Chikalthana counting centre, officials found not just the prescribed preference markings, but also expressions of anger, sarcasm and despair.“Will never forgive those who change parties like clothes,” one voter wrote, expressing resentment over party-hopping. The remark appeared to target NCP candidate Satish Chavan, who had left the Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction after his defeat in the 2024 assembly elections.Another ballot carried the message, “You did not even make an attempt to become our voice,” reflecting dissatisfaction with the elected representative’s performance.Frustration over unemployment also found expression, with one voter writing, “Did my degree, now I regret it!”Chavan, who has represented the constituency three times, also faced pointed remarks. “Satish, it’s done bro!” read a message found on a few ballot papers.Election authorities said names, signatures, slogans, symbols or messages that violate ballot secrecy render a vote invalid under the Conduct of Election Rules.Over 16,000 ballot papers were declared invalid during counting. “Besides those bearing messages, many were rejected because voters had failed to follow the prescribed rules for marking their preferences,” authorities said.