President Droupadi Murmu on Friday said that democratic system in India is continuously getting stronger and the biggest proof of it is the general elections widely participated in by the masses.
Addressing a seminar here, Murmu said that during the 75 years since independence, India has kept its democratic values intact despite facing a host of challenges.
"Our country has been moving forward in its developmental journey with democratic methods while incorporating the world's largest diversity," Murmu said while addressing the seminar on the 'Role of key constitutional functionaries of Rajasthan Legislature in Strengthening Democracy' here.
She said that in the 17th Lok Sabha elections in 2019, a record 61.3 crore voters used their franchise. She said that for the first time, the number of women parliamentarians has crossed the 100 mark and expressed confidence that this number would increase further.
"The Panchayati Raj system is playing a fundamental role in our democracy. Today, out of more than 31.5 lakh elected representatives in more than 2.75 lakh local rural bodies, 46 per cent are women," she said.
The seminar was organised by the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly under the banner of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (Rajasthan Branch) at Rajasthan International Center to celebrate the birth centenary of former vice president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat.
Murmu said Shekhawat left an indelible mark of his towering personality not only in the politics of Rajasthan but of the whole country.
"As the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, he envisioned and implemented many schemes for the development of the state and for the welfare of people. As the Vice President of India, he carried out the high traditions of the Indian Parliament and also enriched them.
"His ideals are exemplary for all the public representatives of our country," she said.
Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra remembered Shekhawat as an ardent advocate of the purity of political and democratic processes and as someone who had friends across political aisles.
"As Chief Minister, Shekhawat started schemes like 'Antyodaya Yojana', 'Food for work' for the people living below the poverty line, which were also adopted in other states of the country," he said.
-With PTI Input
