New Delhi: A 23-year-old woman delivered a baby at a polling station in Karnataka’s Ballari on Wednesday, the Election Commission said. The incident took place when the woman arrived at the polling station in Kurlagindi village of Ballari to cast her vote for the Assembly elections. According to a report by news agency PTI, women officials and other female voters helped her during the delivery.
As per the latest voter turnout, Ramanagara recorded the highest turnout of 78.22 per cent, while the lowest polling was reported from Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) South limits (parts of Bengaluru city) at 48.63 per cent. The southern state recorded a voter turnout of 65.69 per cent till 5 pm.
The state is seeing a three-cornered fight between the ruling BJP, the Congress and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda’s Janata Dal (Secular).
For the first time, home voting facility was provided for octogenarian and voters with benchmark disability. Over 80,000 senior citizens above 80 years, 19,279 persons with disability and 15,328 essential service personnel had registered for home voting. Of these, a total of 94,931 senior citizens and PwDs cast their vote from home, the EC said.
It is to be noted that the home voting facility was introduced by the Election Commission after the Covid-19 pandemic for those above 80 years and those who tested Covid positive.
Notably, the run-up to the Karnataka polls witnessed massive campaigning, mega rallies and numerous public gatherings by political parties, especially the BJP and the Congress. While for the saffron party, the challenge is to retain its south citadel, the Congress seeks to occupy the state once again. The results will be declared Saturday, May 13.
Meanwhile, the exit poll results on Wednesday showed Karnataka is likely to see a hung Assembly as none of the parties will surpass the majority mark of 113 in the 224-member House. The predictions also suggest that Janata Dal (Secular) is likely to hold the key to forming the government.