EC curbs on opinion polls, TV ads

While there is no bar on print or electronic media organisations conducting exit polls as voters emerge from the polling booths, the EC’s ban is to prevent the results influencing voters in other constituencies before they cast their vote.

The Commission’s enunciation of the guidelines for opinion and exit polls will hold good for all future elections to Parliament and State legislatures.

Organisations conducting opinion and exit polls would have to indicate the sample size of the electorate covered bythe poll and the geographic spread of opinion surveys. This is to provide a clear idea of which section of society and the kind of persons surveyed for the poll.

In a move which would make polls more professional, the pollsters have to provide details on the methodology followed, the likely percentage of error, and information on the persons conducting the poll.

The Commission also spelt out more do’s and dont’s for political parties, banning advertisement or campaigning by them on the electronic media. However, the air time allotted to political parties on Doordarshan and All India Radio during the election campaign would continue.

“No advertisement or campaign by political parties, candidates or anyone else is allowed on electronic media,” the Commission said.

Justifying its decision not to allow parties to advertise on television and radio, the Commission said such advertising can be afforded only by a few major parties. This would introduce “serious distortions” in the electoral arena, and inthe process, “in a poor country like India, democracy will be totally disturbed by money power”, the Commission said.