Former Prez Pranab Mukherjee pats EC for conducting ‘perfect elections’

New Delhi, May 21: Amidst the hue and cry raised by the conglomerate of opposition parties about the General Elections, former President Pranab Mukherjee has appreciated the way they are held and praised the Election Commission for conducting nearly ‘perfect elections.’

Pranab’s pat for ECI comes against the background of the allegations levelled against the poll body by the opposition parties. They have alleged that the EC has ‘surrendered’ to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and in doing so it had lost its respect and accountability.

However, contradicting the opposition claim, the former President lauded the role of Election Commission saying that the 2019 Lok Sabha elections were conducted ‘perfectly’.

Mukherjee was speaking at book launch ceremony here. He released the book “Defining India: Through Their Eyes” written by Sonia Singh of NDTV.

Mukherjee said that democracy can succeed due to perfect conduct of elections by the election commission and the persons heading this institution.

The remarks of the former President who had moved closer to the Hindu Organizations like RSS, came a day after Congress President Rahul Gandhi has alleged that the Election Commission’s ‘capitulation’ before the Prime Minister Narendra Modi is obvious and the poll body is not feared and not respected anymore.

Other opposition parties too had levelled similar type of allegations against the ECI during this election. They mounted their criticism after the Election Commission Ashok Lavasa wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner announcing his recusal from the EC meetings as his dissent was not recorded o clearances given by the ECI to the Prime Minister and BJP President Amit Shah over alleged violation of the model code of conduct. The opposition parties had also raised doubts over the functioning of the EVMs.