First voter of Independent India dies at 106

Ever since India became independent, it is known that citizens of the country, who are above 18 years of age, are exercising their right to vote in the elections. But not many know who was the first person to cast his vote in India.

Shyam Saran Negi, a resident of Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur, was the first person to cast his vote on October 25, 1951. Born in July 1917, Negi retired as a schoolteacher in 1975.

But sadly, Negi died Saturday morning at his residence in Kinnaur. He was 106. As per the officials, he cast his postal vote for the assembly elections on November 2 for the 34th time this year.

The Election Commission also mourned Negi’s demise and called him a “man with exceptional faith in democracy”.

“ECI mourns the demise of Shri Shyam Saran Negi. We are eternally grateful for his service to the nation. He inspired millions to vote, even before his demise, he voted for Himachal Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022 through postal ballot on November 2, 2022,” the Election Commission further wrote on Twitter.