Over 1300 centenarians to vote in upcoming Himachal Assembly elections

Besides, the country's first voter Shyam Saran Negi will also vote in the elections the 34th time since Independence. Negi, born in Kalpa on July 1, 1917, cast his first vote in the first election held after the end of the British rule on October 25, 1951.

Shimla: Over 1,300 voters above 100 years of age will be casting their vote in the upcoming Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, officials said. There are 1,328 voters, who will exercise their franchise in the elections scheduled by the end of the year.

The oldest voter is Dine Ram hailing from the Kullu district, who is 122-year-old. Besides, the country's first voter Shyam Saran Negi will also vote in the elections for the 34th time since independence. Negi was born in Kalpa on July 1, 1917, and cast his first vote in the first election held after the end of British rule on October 25, 1951.

Among districts, Kangra has 472 registered voters aged over 100 years, Lahaul Spiti 8, Chamba 56, Kullu, 47, Mandi 179, Bilaspur 89, Hamirpur 135, Solan 52, Una 136, Shimla 82 and Kinnaur 10. The work of updating the electoral rolls is going on in the state.

According to Chief Electoral Officer Manish Garg, a special brief revision of voter lists of all 68 assembly constituencies of Himachal Pradesh is being done from August 16 August to October 10 as per the instructions of the Election Commission . Besides, special Voter List Observers are also being deployed.

Garg said that these observers will improve the quality of disposal of claims or objections received regarding inclusion of new names in voters' lists and removal of names of ineligible people and to reduce the gap in sex ratio, population ratio and age group wise registration in voters' lists.

The Chief Electoral Officer said that during the revision period, the observers will make three field visits. During the first visit, they will also hold meetings with MPs or MLAs or representatives of political parties. After each visit, the Voter List Observers will send the report to the Election Commission through the Chief Electoral Officer.

Those who will have completed 18 years of age by October 1 will also be entitled to vote in the elections in accordance with the 'Election Law Amendment Act 2021' which has come into force after 30 December 2021. From January 2 to October 1, 2022, the names of eligible citizens who have completed 18 years or more will be included in the voter list.