The Election Commission of India has decided to roll out red carpet for Shyam Saran Negi, the first voter of independent India who would cast his vote at Kalpa in Kinnaur constituency on November 9, the twitter handle of the Chief Electoral Officer Pushpender Rajput said on Friday.
Neeraj Sharma, officer on election duty, said Shyam Saran Negi the first voter would be brought in a special vehicle to the polling booth number 2 at Kalpa and a band party has been arranged to honour the oldest voter.
He said that the arrangements had been made as veteran Negi had expressed keenness to participate in polling.
Returning officer Kalpa and SDM, Maj Avinder Kumar Sharma informed that local SDM would be sent to see Negi and ask his preferable time to visit the polling station on November 9 to cast his vote.
He said that the polling booth was around 2 kilometre away from Negi’s home and a special vehicle would be arranged to bring him to the polling booth and drop him at his place after casting his vote.
Negi had cast his vote in the first General Elections after the country got independence and he has never missed voting in any election since then.
On the diamond jubilee of Election Commission in 2010, the then Chief Election Commissioner Navin Chawala had declared Negi as first voter of India and he was also felicitated. Negi was born on July 1, 1917 at Kalpa in Kinnuar and had served as government teacher.