Opinion polls: AAP wants clear guidelines

Kejriwal to draw EC's attention towards revelations of a sting operation telecast by a TV news channel

AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal today urged the Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath to issue clear guidelines to organizations conducting opinion polls as well as the media for ensuring their authenticity so that those indulging in "frivolous activities" do not get away easily.

 

"The AAP demands that Election Commission should issue clear guidelines to organizations conducting these (opinion) polls and print and electronic media which intends to publish/telecast such polls for fixing the accountability of the job done by them, so that those indulging in frivolous activities don't get away easily," said Kejriwal in a letter to the Chief Election Commisioner.

 

Kejriwal said he was writing this letter to draw Sampath's attention towards "shocking" revelations that have come to light in a sting operation telecast by a TV news channel recently.

 

"The programme titled "Operation Prime Minister" has exposed that opinion polls can be manipulated for monetary considerations. In case the sting operation is authentic, unless proved otherwise, this menace strikes at the very root of our country's democracy, showing that now attempts are being made to even manufacture public opinion through falsehood," Kejriwal said.

 

Appreciating the EC's stand which does not allow opinion polls from the the date of notification of elections till the final phase of polling, Kejriwal said AAP does not favour a blanket ban on opinion polls, but request the Election Commission to ensure there is a code of conduct in place for the telecast and publication of opinion polls.

 

"The EC has been pro-active in seeking changes in the Representation of the People Act to update this law for meeting fresh challenges in the conduct of free and fair elections and needs to be complimented for its efforts," Kejriwal said.

 

"In this regard, I would request the commission to once again renew its efforts to remind the lawmakers, particularly the government to ensure that no motivated attempts are allowed to succeed to mislead the people during the forthcoming lok sabha elections, he added.