People in lines for the voting at Kalpa & Pangi.
Shyam Saran, 91 Years Old, going to caste his vote.
Shyam Saran, resident of Chini village of district Kinnaur used his right of vote yesterday at polling station Kalpa during the 1st phase of Assembly elections in the State. 91 years old Shyam Saran had also casts his vote in the 1st General Lok Sabha Election-1951-52 in the month of October in independent India. This was disclosed by Mrs. Manisha Nanda, Chief Electoral Officer, Himachal Pradesh.
CEO told that 98 years old Mrs. Ram Ditti walked seven Kms. on foot from village Bhujund to polling station Tindi of Lahaul-Spiti to cast her vote.
She said that according to Returning Officers/Assistant Returning Officers of three tribal assembly constituencies 70.98 percent polling was reported in 1-Kinnaur (ST) Assembly Constituency.
In 54-Bharmour (ST) assembly constituency, 69 percent polling was recorded, whereas 67 percent polling in Bharmour area and 76.36 percent polling was recorded in Pangi area.
Mrs. Nanda said that in 55-Lahaul-Spiti (ST) Assembly Constituency 73.44 percent polling was recorded, whereas in Lahaul area 71.12 percent and in Spiti area 77.37 percent polling was recorded.
Chief Electoral Officer said that 118 polling stations were set up in Kinnaur, 72 polling stations were in Bharmour area and 32 polling stations were set up in Pangi area. Besides these 50 polling stations were set up in Lahaul area and 26 polling stations were set up in Spiti area.
Shyam Saran can be counted among the first voters of Independent India.
After the country adopted the new constitution in 1952, Chinni Village, near Kalpa in Kinnaur was the first village in the country to cast its franchise and set off the country on a democratic path, a tradition which has come to stay in the country.
According to archival study about the progress of democracy in India, the first voters to have cast their votes at Chinni in June 1952 were three Buddhist Monks.
Surely Shyam Saran must have been in the line to exercise a right which the country’s freedom fighters fought hard to obtain just like he has been on this day, 60 years later.
Shyam Saran is a symbol of the triumph of Indian Democracy, that has survived the times.