An Indian woman who won local elections nearly two weeks after her death was elected by supporters willing to honor their promise of support out of respect, officials said.
Ashiya B won nearly 44% of the vote in municipal elections held earlier this month in India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, where she was posthumously declared the winner.
The 30-year-old candidate, who was running for the first time, succumbed to the disease just 12 days before polling.
Her husband, Regular Qureshi, informed the electoral authorities, but district official Bhagwan Charan told AFP that no action had been taken to withdraw his name from the ballot.
“Once the electoral process begins, it cannot be stopped or interrupted,” Mr. Sharan explained.
Ashiya Bi was very popular and many of her constituents decided to vote for her despite her death, to show their respect and admiration.
“Ashiya made friends easily and people were unwilling to break their pledge of support to him, hence this conclusion,” local resident Muhammad Zakir told the Times of India daily.
According to her husband, Ashia B “won hearts with her calm attitude”.
One of his constituents said, “Our votes are a tribute to him.”
Personal, family, and community allegiances often play a decisive role in the outcome of India’s chaotic and often turbulent elections at the local, state, and national levels.
