Former President Pranab Mukherjee expressed concern on Tuesday, 21 May, over "reports of alleged tampering of voters' verdict" and asserted that "the safety and security of EVMs which are in the custody of the ECI is the responsibility of the Commission."
In a statement issued, Mukherjee said:
“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.”Pranab Mukherjee, in a statement
The former President, who had praised the EC on their 'perfect' handling of the Lok Sabha polls a day earlier, said in the statement that "there can be no room for speculations that challenge the very basis of our democracy."
Pranab Mukherjee's remarks come amid multiple reports of EVMs being transported without security in parts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
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 Congress said the EC should take immediate and effective steps to address the complaints of movement of EVMs from strongrooms from various parts of the country.
Top Opposition leaders, who met on Tuesday, also decided to move the EC to press for their demand of tallying the paper trail of votes (VVPATs) with the EVM figures.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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