India’s first voter dies at 105, three days after voting through postal ballot in Himachal

Three days after voting through postal ballot for the Himachal Pradesh assembly elections, India’s first voter Shyam Saran Negi died at 105 at his native village in Kalpa in Kinnaur district on Saturday.

Negi, who had never missed voting in any election since Independence, was the Election Commission of India’s brand ambassador. While he voted at the polling booth in earlier elections, this time he exercised his franchise from home due to ill-health.

“Negi ji was an icon for voters not only in the state but across the country. Unfortunately, he was not keeping well for the past few days due to age-related ailments,” Kinnaur deputy commissioner Abid Hussain Sadiq said.

Negi, popular as Masterjee, had cast his vote through postal ballot on Wednesday.

Though the option of postal ballot is not new for India, it is for the first time that it is has been extended to all citizens above the age of 80 years, people with disabilities greater than 40% and absentee voters in the state. The Election Commission had fixed October 21, 2022, as the date by which voters wanting to cast a vote through postal ballot could apply for it by submitting Form 12-D to the returning officer.

Cast his vote for 34th time

Negi had earlier expressed his willingness to cast his vote at the polling station in Kalpa but on November 12, he urged the Election Commission to make arrangements for casting his vote at home for health reasons.

It was for the 34th time that Negi exercised his franchise.

Born on July 1, 1917, Negi was a teacher in a government school and was assigned poll duty during the first elections. He had requested the polling party at his village to allow him to cast his vote quickly so that he could head to the polling station where he was assigned the duty. The officer concerned accepted his request and he became the country’s first voter. Ever since, he has never missed a chance to vote, be it a panchayat election or Lok Sabha poll.

Lived in oblivion for 45 years

Negi lived in oblivion for 45 years till the Election Commission tracked him down in July 2007 when Indian Administrative Service officer Manisha Nanda, now additional chief secretary (public works department) in Himachal Pradesh, first learnt about him from the photo electoral roll.

M Sudha Devi, a 2003-batch IAS officer then posted as Kinnaur deputy commissioner, went to meet Negi at Kalpa.

Negi told Devi that he was the first voter and had never missed a chance to vote.

After examining Negi’s claim, Devi informed Nanda, who began searching for records in the election office.

In 2012, then chief election commissioner Naveen Chawla reached Negi’s home in Kalpa to felicitate him.

During the 2014 elections, Google made a video featuring Negi for its Pledge to Vote campaign.

The video got more views than any another video launched under the same campaign, featuring celebrities such as Amitabh Bachchan, Dia Mirza, Arjun Rampal and cricketer Virender Sehwag.