New Delhi, May 21, 2019 - Amid strong allegation of the possibility of EVM tampering, former President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday said the onus of ensuring 'institutional integrity' in the matters related to the safety and security of voting machines lies with the Election Commission.
'They(the poll panel) must put all speculation to rest,' Mr Mukherjee said in a statement and asserted that the onus of ensuring 'institutional integrity lies with the Election Commission of India.'
'The safety and security of EVMs which are in the custody of ECI is the responsibility of the Commission,' he said, adding there can be no room for speculation that challenges the 'very basis of our democracy'.
Mr Mukherjee, who in the past had said that abuse of money and muscle power to influence voters will remain a cause of concern, maintained that 'People's mandate is sacrosanct and has to be above any iota of reasonable doubt.'
The former President said as a firm believer in institutions, it has been his 'considered opinion that it is the
workmen who decide how the institutional tools perform.'
The statement from Mr Mukherjee comes a day after he said at a public function that institutions itself have served well and if democracy has succeeded it is largely due to the perfect conduct of elections by all Election Commissioners starting from Sukumar Sen to the present Election Commissioners.'
(Agency)