Pranab Mukherjee Expresses Concern Over EVMs Tampering

The ongoing controversy and allegations of EVMs tampering is making the former President Pranab Mukherjee concerned. He expresses his worry over the Twitter today saying the “onus of ensuring institutional integrity” lies with the Election Commission. “The safety and security of EVMs which are in the custody of the EC is the responsibility of the Commission,” Pranab Mukherjee said in a statement.

He also said that “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. A firm believer in our institutions, it is my considered opinion that it is the ‘workmen’ who decide how the institutional ‘tools’ perform’.

A series of videos have been out on the internet that caused protests in some parts of Uttar Pradesh. The videos show the alleged movement and tampering of EVMs sacked in cars and trucks. One of those viral videos said to be from the Chandauli Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh. However, the EC called the allegations as frivolous and baseless.

Congress demanded that the EC should take immediate action on this and the party believes the videos to be true from various part of the country. Top opposition leaders, who gathered on Tuesday, also took a decision of moving the EC to press for their demand of tallying the paper trail of votes (VVPATs) with the EVM figures.