The Election Commission of India, in a letter written to all newspapers, magazines and television news channels of the country, has cautioned them on the publication and broadcasting of exit and opinion polls in the wake of the lok Sabha election 2014 and advised them to ensure strict adherence to the election model code of conduct.
The commission has termed the publication and broadcasting of exit poll and opinion poll after the start of polling process for the lok Sabha general election as violation of section 126A of the Representation of the People Act 1951.
The Election Commission, in a letter issued to all print and electronic media institutions of the country, has said that in accordance with the schedule issued by the commission for the lok Sabha general election 2014, polling would be held in the country in nine phases from April 7 to May 12. During the period broadcasting and publication of any kind of exit or opinion poll has been banned.
The letter mentioned that it has been brought to the notice of the commission some news channels had broadcast election survey in the form of opinion poll on April 14.Some newspapers have also published such opinion poll during the period. In these opinion polls, forecast of the election results of those 111 lok Sabha seats were included, where polling was held on April 7, 9, 10, 11 and 12. As such, it was a kind of exit poll.The commission has noticed that in these so-called opinion polls, information about the probable number of seats to be received by different political parties was included, which was violation of the Representation of the People Act
The commission further said that according to section 126A of the Representation of the People Act nobody could conduct, publish and broadcast exit poll from the start of process of first phase of polling until after half-an-hour of the conclusion of the last phase of polling. In view of that, the commission has advised all the media institutions not to publish or broadcast any kind of exit poll in the name of opinion poll, to conduct free and impartial election and to provide equal opportunity for competition to all.