By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: A woman who was pregnant but had kept the issue secret despite being deputed for polling duty in Garo Hills was replaced by election officials after they found out about her condition on Friday morning.
The young woman, who was two months’ due, had failed to inform the Election officials of her condition at the time of appointment for polling duty after she witnessed some of her colleagues in similar condition being denied exemption on Thursday.
The pregnant lady was stationed at Waribokgre polling station of Jengjal for Saturday’s polls when she began to experience morning sickness on Thursday. When the election officials found out about her condition they immediately relieved her of the poll duty and escorted her back to Tura after sending in a replacement on Friday morning.
However, rumour mongers had a field day claiming that the woman had given birth to a child inside the polling station which was found to be untrue given that she was in the early stages of pregnancy.
In Tura, there has been large scale condemnation and anger against Returning Officer Pravin Bakshi and a section of senior magistrates for refusing to exempt expectant mothers from going on poll duty.
Thursday morning witnessed several young mothers heading to polling stations with EVMs on one hand and their young child on the other after being refused exemption by the poll officials which is the first time such a situation has taken place in the history of elections in Garo Hills.
