For the 1951 elections, a total of 180 tonnes of paper was used for 600 million ballot papers.
3,89,816 phials of indelible ink were supplied to the states at a cost of Rs 2,27,460.
A list of 36 polling materials required at a polling station included nibs, pins, a knife, a pair of scissors, gum-paste, candles, match box and sewing needles.