Never opposed them, but opinion polls doubtful: Congress

The Congress Monday defended its view that opinion polls should be restricted during election time but asserted that it never opposed them.

"We have never opposed opinion polls... but the party has maintained that they are doubtful... we don't trust them," Congress spokesperson Meem Afzal told reporters when asked about his party's response to the Election Commission (EC).

In its Oct 30 response to the EC, the Congress supported the commission's view that opinion polls should be restricted during election time.

"We share the view of the Election Commission. Opinion polls during elections are not scientific. There is no perfect and transparent process for such polls," K.C. Mittal, secretary, legal and human rights department of the Congress, told IANS Sunday.

The EC had sought the views of the political parties on restricting publication and dissemination of opinion polls during elections.

According to the Congress response, these random surveys "lack credibility" and could be "manipulated and manoeuvred" by people with "vested interests".

A ban on the publication of opinion polls 48 hours before voting is over is operational at present.