The first voter of Independent India, Shyam Saran Negi, died on Saturday morning at the age of 106 in his native village Kalpa in Kinnaur distrcit. He had cast his vote for the 34th time on November 2 for the Himachal assembly polls.
Deputy Commissioner of Kinnaur Abid Hussain informed that Negi would be cremated with full state honours. On November 2nd late Negi cast a ballot after the Election commission of India (ECI) decided to facilitate all centurian voters by way of providing them with the facility of a postal ballot.
Born in July 1917, Negi voted for the first time in 1951 in the general elections of India and has voted sixteen times in Lok Sabha Elections.
In 2009 Look Sabha polls, ECI declared him country first voter and gave red carpet welcome to him in every Election after that.
He was also a state election icon since 2014. A teacher by profession, the centenarian had voted in every election since 1951 and never missed an opportunity to vote.
Chief Minister Jairam Thakur and all other senior leaders of parties have extended their condolences on his demise.
