Former President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday expressed concern over the alleged tampering of voters’ verdict saying the onus of ensuring institutional integrity lies with the Election Commission, which should put all speculation to rest. He also said there can be no room for speculation that challenges the very basis of Indian democracy.
“I am concerned at reports of alleged tampering of voters’ verdict. The safety and security of EVMs which are in the custody of ECI is the responsibility of the Commission,” Pranab said in a statement posted on his Twitter handle.
“People’s mandate is sacrosanct and has to be above any iota of reasonable doubt. The onus of ensuring institutional integrity in this case lies with the Election Commission of India. They must do so and put all speculation to rest,” he said.
Pranab said as a firm believer in the country’s institutions, it is his considered opinion that it is the “workmen” who decide how the institutional “tools” perform.
Protests broke out in some parts of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday after videos of alleged movement and tampering of EVMs went viral on social media, a charge dismissed by the EC as “frivolous” and “unfounded”.
The former President on Monday had lauded the role of the poll panel saying the 2019 Lok Sabha polls were conducted “perfectly”. Speaking at a book launch event, Pranab said that right from first Election Commissioner Sukumar Sen to the present election commissioners, the institution is working very well.
At a time when the Election Commission is under fire from Opposition parties for being biased, Pranab also said all the three commissioners are appointed by the executive and they are doing their job well. “You cannot criticise them, it was a perfect conduct of elections. If democracy has succeeded, it is largely due to perfect conduct of elections by election commissioners starting from Sukumar Sen to the present election commissioners,” Pranab said.