Three-time Congress legislator from Kinnaur Jagat Singh Negi was unanimously elected Deputy Speaker of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly today.Election proceedings were conducted amid protests from the Opposition BJP.Speaker B B Butail asked Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh to announce the name of candidate for the coveted post while opposition which was staging protest in the House on another issue did not announce its candidate.Mr Singh announced the name of Mr Negi for this post which was seconded by IPH minister Vidhya Stokes, Forest Minister Thakur Singh Bharmori and Congress Member Ravi Thakur.
Hailing from Kalpa village of Kinnaur district, Mr Negi, son former MLA Kinnuar Gain Singh Negi, Gyan Singh Negi, born on 2nd February, 1957 at Kalpa, District Kinnaur; B.A. L.L.B; educated at DAV College, Chandigarh and Punjab University, Chandigarh; married to Smt. Susheela Negi on 1st July, 1982 ; one son and one daughter; Advocate and Horticulturist.A keen sportsman during college days; represented (i) Haryana State in the National Junior Hockey Championship in Madras, 1977; (ii) DAV College, Chandigarh which was the winner of Punjab University Inter–college Hockey Championship, 1977-78; founder President, District Apple and Vegetable Growers Association, Kinnaur, 1990-95; remained President (i) District Bar Association, Kinnaur from 1980 to 1995 (ii) District Youth Congress Committee, Kinnaur from 1980 to 1995 (iii) District Congress Committee since 1996; Vice President, Foot Ball Association, Himachal Pradesh since 1996; Chairman, Panchayat Samiti, Pooh from 1987 to 1992 & Vice Chairman, H.P. State SC & ST Development Corporation, 1996-97. Elected to State Legislative Assembly first in a by-election held on 27-5-1995 and re-elected in 2003 and Dec. 2012.