Himachal Assembly Polls: India’s First Voter Casts Postal Ballot for 34th Time

Nov 02, 2022, 22:10 IST

Shimla : Independent India’s first voter Shyam Saran Negi exercised his franchise with full honours in Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections on Wednesday as the Election Commission officials had laid a ‘red carpet’ for the 106-year-old voter. Shyam Saran of Kinnaur district voted for the record 34th time in the elections.

According to the District Election Officer cum Deputy Commissioner Abid Hussain Sadiq, a red carpet was laid out to bring the oldest voter to the postal booth set up in the compound of his house. He said Shyam Saran exercised his right to franchise and soon thereafter his vote was sealed in an envelope and dropped in the ballot box.

The polling for the State Assembly elections are scheduled to be held on Nov 12, however, voting through postal ballot is being done in advance in Himachal Pradesh. The postal ballot facility is only available for four categories that include those voters who are 100 years and above, aged 80 years and above, Persons with Disabilities (PWD) and essential services.

Centenarian Shyam Saran was born in July 1917. He voted for the first time in 1951 in the elections of India and has voted sixteen times in Lok Sabha Elections. A teacher by profession, he has exercised his franchise in every election since 1951 without fail.

The first voter of Independent India,Shyam Saran Negi (106) who hails from the tribal district of Kinnaur in #HimachalPradesh exercised his right to franchise for the 34th time!
He voted in the 14th Vidhan Sabha Elections through postal ballot in Kalpa today. @SpokespersonECI pic.twitter.com/0m1p4vJuKv

— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) November 2, 2022