New Delhi: Amid the opposition’s accusations against the Election Commission of being biased, former President Pranab Mukherjee praised the ECI for conducting elections ‘perfectly’.

He said, “If we want to strengthen institutions, we have to keep in mind that institutions are serving well in this country, and if democracy has succeeded, it's largely due to the perfect conduct of elections by all Election Commissioners starting from Sukumar Sen to the present Election Commissioners. All are appointed by the executive and they are doing their job well. You can't criticise them. It was perfect conduct of the elections.”

The former president also added that the institutions in the country have been built over time and are good. A good workman, he said, knows how to work well with the tools.

On Sunday, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi tweeted, “From electoral bonds and EVMs to manipulating the election schedule, NaMo TV, Modi's Army and now the drama in Kedarnath; the Election Commission's capitulation before Mr Modi and his gang is obvious to all Indians. The EC used to be feared & respected. Not anymore.”

Through the course of elections, Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee, Telgu Desam Party’s Chandrababu Naidu had accused the BJP government of tampering in the poll process and had accused the ECI of taking no action despite the presence of ‘irrrefutable evidence’. 

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Pranab Mukherjee’s endorsement of the Election Commission and his appreciation for all the people who came out to vote, has been a breath of fresh air this election season.