New Delhi, April 21 (I) Taking charge as the new Chief Election Commissioner of the country, Navin Chawla Tuesday asserted that the poll panels works as a team and decisions are taken in consensus.
“We are here before you not as one individual but all three of us together. We are a three men commission and all the decisions are taken jointly,” Chawla told a press conference, which was also attended by election commissioners S.Y. Quraishi and V.S. Sampath.
Chawla, who had a bitter rift with his predecessor N. Gopalaswami, said voices of dissent have to be heard.
“There will always be some voices of dissent. A voice of dissent is as important as a voice of assent. There is something to be learnt by the commission from that voice of dissent. It is the only way we can move forward in a composite manner,” Chawla said.
Chawla, who has taken over as head of the poll panel in the midst of elections, will remain in charge till July 29, 2010.
Informing that 82 percent of the voters in the country have been equipped with voter I-cards, Chawla appealed to the young and urban voters to come out in large numbers and vote.
“I would like to appeal to the youth of the country to get their cards made and please come out in large number and make our democracy a true functioning democracy. I would also ask the urban voters to come out,” he said.
rounak