Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi is not happy with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's new law that makes voting in local elections compulsory in Gujarat.

He said the idea was impractical. "We think compulsory voting and democracy are not consistent," he said, adding that freedom of choice was important.

But when asked if the Election Commission was opposed it, Quraishi said: "There is no question of the Election Commission being opposed to this initiative in Gujarat because it is a state subject. Local body election, panchayat election etc are state subjects."

The controversial new bill was passed by the Gujarat Assembly last week, making voting compulsory in municipal, district, taluka and Panchayat polls.

It provides that a voter who does not turn up without adequate reason will be declared a defaulter and will have to face punitive action.