Sabah and Farah have two different choices and opinions, but the same head. They were treated as single voter three years ago. For the first time on May 19, they exercised their franchise as two separate individuals in Patna Sahib Lok Sabha constituency.
Patna: Conjoined twins Sabah and Farah cast their votes separately as two individuals on Sunday for the first time in the Patna Sahib Lok Sabha constituency in Bihar. Born in January 1997, the twins are joined at the head.
They had exercised their franchise during the state Assembly election in October 2015. However, the Election Commission treated them as a single voter. They fought saying they cannot force each other to elect the same candidate. This year, for the first time in their lives, the 23-year-old twins voted for their Lok Sabha candidate(s) as two separate individuals.
“We have voted for development and urge people to come out in large numbers to vote,” the sisters told mediapersons outside their booth in Samanpura locality of the city, falling under the Patna Sahib Lok Sabha constituency.
The Election Commission had ensured transport arrangement for Sabah and Farah. Poll officials helped them through the process in the booth while they cast their votes.
While their opinions and choices remain different, their votes will too, said district magistrate Kumar Ravi.
The story of the conjoined twins was shared by the Election Commission on Twitter.
A victory for democracy!
Saba & Farah, the conjoined sisters of cast their vote as separate individuals with independent voting rights for the first time. pic.twitter.com/gTYF66jr0K
Sabah and Farah did mull opting for surgery, but the doctors said that the process is way too risky and that one of them may not be able to survive.
The Supreme Court later intervened in the matter and thwarted the operation. The court ordered the state government to pay Rs 5000 (which was later raised to Rs 20,000) per month to the twins.
The Congress candidate fighting the Lok Sabha election in the constituency has been pitted against Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad of the BJP. The constituency went to polls on May 19. The results are expected to be announced in on May 23.
(With inputs from PTI)
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