EC proposal on opinion polls under govt consideration: Sibal

The government is considering a proposal of the Election Commission to restrict the publication of opinion polls during elections, the Lok Sabha was informed today.
Law Minister Kapil Sibal said in a written reply that law already provides for restriction of publication and dissemination of results of exit polls.
"As regards pre-poll election survey, there is a proposal of the EC to restrict the publication of opinion polls during elections. The proposal is under consideration of the government," he said.
Recently, the Attorney General had backed the EC proposal to ban publication and broadcast of opinion polls between announcement of election schedule and final phase of polling.

Existing law allows EC to ban them just 48 hours prior to voting.
The poll panel has proposed that there should be a prohibition on publication and broadcast of the results of opinion polls starting from the date of notification of elections till the completion of the last phase of polls to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
"As rightly pointed out by the EC, what is paramount is the necessity to have free and fair elections. One cannot disagree with the view of the EC that such opinion polls often tend to cause a prejudicial effect on the minds of the elector," AG G E Vahanvati said in his opinion.

He said "one must also take into consideration the view of the political parties at the meeting held on April 6, 2004 and the unanimous view expressed therein".