Red carpet awaits independent India's first voter Shyam Sharan Negi

A red carpet awaits 101-year-old Shayam Sharan Negi, first voter of Independent India, at Kalpa polling booth in tribal Kinnaur constituency when he goes to exercise his franchise tomorrow.

Negi has cast his vote in all sixteen Lok Sabha and fourteen state Assembly elections held so far and would be casting his vote for the 31st time.

He happens to be first voter of the country as elections in snowbound areas were held in advance on October 25 in 1951 while the rest of the country went to polls in 1952.

A retired teacher, he was on polling duty at Kalpa polling station and cast his vote at the same booth.

He was appointed a brand ambassador of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and would be provided a car to reach the polling booth and polling officer Arvind Sharma would receive him and escort him to the EVM, officials said.