BALLARI: A 23-year-old woman voter gave birth to a baby boy inside a polling booth, in Kurlagundi village government school voting booth in Kurugodu constituency, Ballari district, on Wednesday. It was a normal delivery and both mother and baby are healthy.
Manila M suddenly developed labour pain while waiting in the queue, and was advised by other women to return home, but she insisted on casting her vote. They helped her skip the queue and vote, by which time she was in acute pain.
“Immediately, some of our women officials and other women in the booth took her to an adjoining room and helped deliver the baby. Both mother and baby are healthy, and were shifted to the village primary hospital. Everyone appreciated her courage in coming to vote in her condition. She was nearly nine months pregnant,” said Venkatesh Ramachandrappa, sector officer of Kurugodu.
Rangamma S, a family member, said they tried to advise her from going to vote because only last week, doctors had told her that the baby was due any time, but she did not heed them. “I went with her after she cast her vote. She delivered the baby in 10 minutes. It’s her first baby,” said Rangamma.