Former President, Pranab Mukherjee applauded the role of Election Commission on Monday saying that the 2019 Lok Sabha polls were conducted perfectly in midst of the time when the poll body is under fire from opposition parties for being biased.

While speaking at a book launch of 'Defining India: Through Their Eyes' by NDTV's Sonia Singh, he said that right from the first election commissioner Sukumar Sen to the present election commissioners, the institution is working very well. He said all the three commissioners are appointed by the executive and they are doing their job well.

Mukherjee said, "you cannot criticize them, it was perfect conduct of elections".

"If democracy has succeeded, it is largely due to perfect conduct of elections by election commissioners starting from Sukumar Sen to the present election commissioners.

His remarks come a day after Congress president Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Election Commission's "capitulation" before PM Narendra Modi is obvious and the EC is not feared and respected anymore.

The poll body has been criticized by the opposition parties for being allegedly biased towards the BJP.