Some 999 centenarians will cast theirvotes for Himachal Pradesh’s four parliamentary seats at seven special pollingstations on May 19, Chief Electoral Officer Devesh Kumar said on Friday.
Kangra, the state’s largest district, also has the highestnumber of 293 centenarian voters, followed by 125 in Hamirpur district and 122in Mandi district. Lahaul-Spiti district has five 100 plus voters, the lowestin the state.
102-year-old Shyam Saran Negi, who has never failed to casthis vote in any election — be it LokSabha or the Assembly or the panchayat —has been appointed the brand ambassador of the state Election Commission’sSVEEP (Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation) campaign.
The centenarian lives with his youngest son ChanderParkash inthe picturesque village of Kalpa in Kinnaur district. He told IANS through hisson Parkash, “I am appealing to all the voters, especially the youngergeneration, to spare time and elect an honest man who can take the country tonew heights.”
Chief Electoral Officer Kumar told reporters here that thecentenarian voters would be welcomed in their respective polling stations.
“We have decided to target 100 per cent polling in thestate and efforts have been made to identify the old persons withdisabilities,” he said.Of the 7,730 polling booths in the state, sevenhave been set up especially for senior citizens in Bara Bhangal and Dari inKangra district and Key in Lahaul-Spiti district. Lahaul-Spiti is one of themost rugged, inhospitable terrains in the state.