India's first voter Shyam Saran Negi exercises his franchise at Kalpa

India's first voter Shyam Saran Negi today cast his vote at a polling booth at his native place here.

Negi, 97, reached the polling booth at 6.55 AM accompanied by his wife Hira Mani (92).

Shyam Saran Negi became the first voter of the country when elections were held for the first time in the country on October 25, 1951 in Kinnaur. The polling was held in phases and other parts of the country went to polls in February 1952.

The State Election Commission had recently appointed him as its brand ambassador for the poll campaign in the tribal region.

Negi's name was registered at serial no 123 in polling booth no 50 today and incidentally the booth was set up in the school from where he had retired after serving for 23 years.

He was the first person to vote there, followed by his wife.

Kinnaur Deputy Commissioner DD Sharma welcomed Negi at the polling station and honoured him by presenting a cap and scarf when he came out of the polling booth.

Kinnaur assembly segment falls in Mandi Lok Sabha seat and Negi has cast his vote in Lok Sabha for seventeenth time, including the Mandi Lok Sabha by-election held in June 2013.

Thanking the government for recognising him as the first voter, Negi appealed people to come out and cast their votes.