New Delhi, Aug 06: The Election Commission today opposed the proposal for open balloting in elections to the Rajya Sabha. "We go by the principle of secret balloting. Obviously it is a well accepted principle. They (those with money power) will buy in case if they have to be bought. Those buyable will be bought", Chief Election Commissioner J M Lyngdoh told a news agency in an interview. In any case, secret balloting is a well accepted principle in any old democracy. "You don't always follow whip. You exercise your judgment. It is not a democracy. You are running some political organisation and you are part of democracy. You should vote according to your conscience on certain issues", he said. On another proposal for plugging loopholes in anti- defection to check wholesale defections, he said if the intention is good, then it is fine. Defence has always been a problem, he said. Bureau Report