First Voter Of Independent India Passes Away At 106, 2 Days After Voting For Himachal Polls

106-year-old Shyam Saran Negi, the first voter of Independent India, passed away on Saturday morning at his native place in Himachal's Kalpa.

106-year-old Shyam Saran Negi

Source : ANI

New Delhi: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur on Saturday expressed grief on the demise of 106-year-old Shyam Saran Negi, the first voter of Independent India.

"Saddened to hear the news of the demise of Shyam Saran Negi Ji, the first voter of independent India and who belonged to Kinnaur," the Chief Minister tweeted in Hindi.

ईश्वर उनकी पुण्य आत्मा को अपने श्रीचरणों में स्थान दें तथा शोकग्रस्त परिवारजनों को संबल प्रदान करें।

ॐ शांति!

— Jairam Thakur (@jairamthakurbjp) November 5, 2022

106-year-old Shyam Saran Negi, the first voter of Independent India, passed away on Saturday morning at his native place in Himachal's Kalpa. He will be cremated with full state honour, news agency ANI reported Deputy Commissioner, Kinnaur, as saying.

"Not just first voter of Independent India, but a man with exceptional faith in democracy. ECI mourns the demise of Shyam Saran Negi. We are eternally grateful for his service to the Nation," the Election Commission of India tweeted, mourning the demise.

He inspired millions to vote, even before his demise, he voted for Himachal Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022 through postal ballot on November 2,2022.#HPElections2022

— Election Commission of India #SVEEP (@ECISVEEP) November 5, 2022

Born on July 1, 1917, Negi has voted in the Lok Sabha elections 16 times since 1951. He was the election icon of Himachal since 2014. 

Shyam Saran Negi voted for the first time on October 25, 1951, becoming the first voter of independent India.

The first general elections were held in India after independence in February 1952.  Due to heavy snowfall in Kinnaur, elections were held five months earlier in September 1951. Shyam Saran Negi was a teacher at Kinnaur's Moorang School at that time.

Negi exercised his right to franchise for the 34th time for the 14th Himachal Assembly Election as he cast his vote through a postal ballot at his residence in Kalpa on November 2.

Prime Minister Modi on Wednesday lauded him as an inspiration for the youth voters. "This is commendable and should serve as an inspiration for the younger voters to take part in the elections and strengthen our democracy," he wrote on Twitter.

This is commendable and should serve as an inspiration for the younger voters to take part in the elections and strengthen our democracy. https://t.co/J4LvuNo92x

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 2, 2022

Voting by postal ballot commenced on 1 November and will be completed before November 11.

The Himachal assembly election will be held in a single phase and the date of polling is November 12. The last date to file the nomination is October 25 and the counting of votes for the Himachal Pradesh assembly election will take place on December 8.

(With Inputs By Jagwinder Patial)