Hyderabad: Former Supreme Court judge and opposition-backed vice-presidential candidate Justice B. Sudershan Reddy on Tuesday cautioned that India’s democratic foundations could weaken if current electoral practices remain unchanged. Addressing a press meet in Hyderabad, he expressed concern over the way voter rolls are being managed, calling the process arbitrary and inconsistent.
Justice Reddy noted that in the early years of independence, voter registration was treated with seriousness and integrity, but today’s system lacks the same credibility. “If voter lists are prepared on whims and fancies, how can democracy survive?” he asked.
He underlined that democracy is not merely about numbers or majoritarian rule but about protecting constitutional values in a diverse society. Stressing that the Constitution places checks on power rather than granting it, he argued that any attempt to dilute these principles without proper amendments weakens the entire framework.
Quoting Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, he reminded that even the finest constitution fails when those responsible for upholding it lack honesty and vision. While formally in the vice-presidential race, Reddy insisted his focus goes beyond politics, saying the call to safeguard democracy and reform electoral practices is a duty shared by all citizens.
