Ansari stresses the need to accelerate pace of poll reforms

"Six decades later, we have to concede that the glass of democracy remains half full. We have practiced electoral democracy mechanically without making it fully representative. Our electoral procedures and practices have accentuated rather than diminish social cleavages," he said.

India, he said, is yet to succeed in eradicating electoral malpractices.

"We have allowed money power in all its manifestations to distort electoral outcomes. Our political process depicts ideological decadence and a declining observance of constitutional morality. Our society exhibits a disturbing disregard for moral order and public conscience...," he said.

Ansari wondered whether the country is on a "slippery slope", saying there is a need to rejuvenate commitment to the values, objectives and the judicious balance of the Constitution.

He was addressing the 4th B R Ambedkar Memorial Lecture here on the theme,'Some questions on elections, representation and democracy'.

Quoting from a speech delivered by Ambedkar in 1952 on successful working of democracy, the Vice President said he had asked people to be "very cautious and very considerate regarding our own future."