The Election Commission on Monday virtually ruled out making voting compulsory at the national level during Lok Sabha and Assembly polls.
“It is almost impossible to enforce,” Chief Election Commissioner Navin Chawla told reporters when asked about Gujarat government’s law to make voting compulsory in local body polls in the State.
Mr. Chawla was speaking at EC’s Diamond Jubilee function here.
Refusing to comment on the State legislature passing a law in this regard, Mr. Chawla said the State Election Commissioner was an independent Constitutional authority and he must respect that position.
Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said if the Centre feels it was a serious issue to be taken up at the national level, it should convene an all-party meeting to build consensus.
