Himachal Assembly polls: 106-year-old Shyam Saran Negi, independent India's first voter, casts his vote via postal ballot

Shimla, November 2

“Youth should come forward to participate in the democratic process as it is not only our right but also our duty to participate in the elections by exercising our franchise,” said first voter of Independent India Shyam Saran Negi (106) after casting his vote through postal ballot for the Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls at his home in Kalpa in Kinnaur district on Wednesday.

Negi who has been a witness to the election process starting from putting the stamp on ballot paper to EVM to VVPAT has never missed his date with the poll and has voted in all Panchayat, assembly and parliament elections. Till now, he had cast his vote in all the elections at the booth.

Shyam Saran Negi had expressed his willingness to cast vote at the booth this time also but his health is not good and so he decided to vote at home, said Deputy Commissioner Kinnaur Abid Hussain Sadiq who honoured Negi with a cap and a shawl.

Negi became the first voter of the country as elections were held on October 25, 1951 in Kinnaur, ahead of other parts of the country which went to polls in February 1952.

In 1951, Negi was a member of the polling team and vividly remembers that he cast his first vote in Shonthong polling station and his polling party had to trek long distances to conduct polling in Purvani – Ribba – Moarang – Nesong over a period of 10 days.