People's mandate is sacrosanct, onus of ensuring institutional integrity lies with EC: Pranab Mukherjee on EVM issue

Former President Pranab Mukherjee Tuesday on the issue of EVM said the onus of ensuring institutional integrity lies with Election Commission. It must put all speculation to rest. 

In a statement issued by the former president, Pranab Mukherjee said, "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."

"There can be no room for speculation that challenges the very basis of our democracy. People's mandate is sacrosanct and has to be above any iota of reasonable doubt," he added. 

"A firm believer in our institutions, it is my considered opinion that it is the 'workmen' who decide how the institutional 'tool' perform."

"The onus of ensuring institutional integrity, in this case, lies with the Election Commission of India (ECI). They must do so and put all speculations to rest," the former president added. 

Please read my statement below.#CitizenMukherjee pic.twitter.com/UFXkbv06Ol

— Pranab Mukherjee (@CitiznMukherjee) May 21, 2019

Pranab Mukherjee's statement came after a group of opposition leaders carried a march to the poll body and submitted a memorandum before the EC, requesting that the verification of VVPAT slips of randomly identified (05) polling stations should be done prior to the initiation of counting of votes & not after the completion of last round of counting.

In the memorandum, the opposition leaders have also demanded that if any discrepancy is found anywhere during the VVPAT verification, 100% counting of paper slips of VVPATs of all polling stations of that assembly segment should be done.

On Monday, Pranab Mukherjee snubbed Rahul Gandhi and Opposition charge and hailed the election commission for 'perfectly' conducting 2019 Lok Sabha Election.  He said all the three commissioners are appointed by the executive and they are doing their job well. 

At a time when the Election Commission is under fire from opposition parties for being biased, former president Pranab Mukherjee yesterday lauded the role of the poll panel saying the 2019 Lok Sabha polls were conducted "perfectly".

Speaking at a book launch event, he said that right from the first election commissioner Sukumar Sen to the present election commissioners, the institution is working very well.

He said all the three commissioners are appointed by the executive and they are doing their job well.

Mukherjee had said, "you cannot criticise them, it was perfect conduct of elections".

(With inputs from agencies)