State Election Commissioner N.Ramesh Kumar has maintained that unanimous election advocated by ruling YSR Congress Party was against the spirit of the Constitution.
Addressing the media here on Thursday after holding a review meeting with district Collector K.V.N.Chakradhar Babu and other officials in connection with the four-phase gram panchayat elections, he said the democratic fabric would get strengthened only when more aspirants contested the ongoing local body elections. People should actively take part in the voting process for the democracy to flourish at the grassroots level, he said.
“When there could be contest during the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, why it should discouraged at the village level,” he asked.
He urged the district election machinery to ensure a level playing field for the contestants and ensure that the voting percentage went up significantly.
He termed as ''ill-motivated'' the call to make panchayat elections unanimous. He rubbished the claim that contests at the grassroots level would lead to bitterness and rivalry in villages.
''Unity in diversity is part of our culture'', he observed and expressed confidence that the aspirants vie with each other at the time of elections imbibing the democratic spirit and set aside difference once the process over and strive for development wholeheartedly setting aside differences. He appreciated the high level of social awareness among the citizens of Nellore and noted that it was from the district the ''anti-arrack'' movement had started