The 103-year-old was given a warm welcome by election staff at the Kalpa booth in Mandi Lok Sabha constituency, which went to polls in the last and seventh phase of the general elections
Pic/Twitter
He was one of the voters in India's first general elections in 1951, 68 years later the enthusiasm remains the same. 103-year-old Shyam Saran Negi voted for the 32nd time today as the seventh and last phase of Lok Sabha polls is underway in seven states and one Union Territory.
The centenarian was among the early voters in Kalpa village of Himachal Pradesh, where voting began at 7 am.
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He exercised his franchise at the same polling booth as the first time.
The 103-year-old was given a warm welcome by election staff at the Kalpa booth in Mandi Lok Sabha constituency, which went to polls in the last and seventh phase of the general elections.
#WATCH 102-yr old Shyam Saran Negi from Himachal Pradesh's Kalpa, casts his vote in #LokSabhaElections2019. He had cast the first vote in the 1951 general elections. pic.twitter.com/LYATWrRjB1
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
"A resident of Himachal Pradesh's tribal district Kinnaur, Shyam Sharan Negi is India's first voter and very important for the state election department," Kinnaur District Election Officer Gopal Chand told PTI.
Negi, a retired school teacher was born on July 1, 1917, as per his official records. The centenarian still vividly remembers how he became India's first voter.
1st Voter of Independent India Sh Shyam Saran Negi cast his vote today
— PIB India (@PIB_India) May 19, 2019
103yr old Sh Negii from #HimanchalPradesh is arguably India's first voter, who has voted in all the national elections since 1951
Picture Courtesy: @SpokespersonECI #VotingRound7 #Phase7 pic.twitter.com/xqOZ9dELia
"India's first election was held in February 1952, but the voting for remote, tribal areas in Himachal was held five months in advance on October 23, 1952, owing to fears of inclement weather rendering the exercise impossible here during winter," Negi said.
"I was a school teacher then and had been put on election duty. Due to it, I reached my polling booth at Kalpa primary school in Kinnaur at 7 am to cast my vote. I was the first one to reach there and cast my vote," he said.
"Later, I was told I was the first to cast my vote anywhere in the area," he said with a glint in his eyes and added that he proceeded to join his election duty after voting.
Negi, who also made a special appearance in Hindi film "Sanam Re", said he never missed casting his vote ever since then whether it be a panchayat election or the Lok Sabha polls.
He on Saturday had appealed to people to elect "honest" candidates for all the four Lok Sabha seats in the state. "Elect honest and active candidates for your parliamentary seats instead of voting for particular parties".
"It's my last wish to vote again. But I have got immobile legs and aching knees now, besides failing vision and hearing," he had said.
The Shimla (SC), Hamirpur, Kangra and Mandi seats went to polls on Sunday along with 55 other Lok Sabha constituencies in the country.
The local administration had made all the arrangements for ferrying him from his home to the polling booth located nearby at a primary school. Doctors were also present to attend to him if needed.
Voting is underway in all the four parliamentary constituencies of the state.
Overall, voting in 59 parliamentary constituencies across seven states and one Union Territory is underway. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.
From brides to specially-abled people, many voters have set examples by being a part of the mammoth exercise.
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Edited by mid-day online desk with inputs from Agencies
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