The Congress on Wednesday approached the Election Commission demanding serious action against those involved in tweaking the findings conducted for pre-election surveys.
The country’s election watchdog said that it would look into the allegations but not before reminding that it was the Government which had to respond to the poll panel’s recommendations on opinion polls submitted in the past by it.
CEC VS Sampath said the Election Commission has in the past given recommendations on opinion polls and it was now for the Government to act.
“As far as opinion polls are concerned, Commission has taken a view, not today but 10 years back in the year 2004 after they held an all-party meeting. They made their recommendations, subsequently also they collected the views of different political parties which have been given. “The ball is in the court of the Government,” Sampath said on the sidelines of a function in the Capital.
The EC had in its recommendation called for restriction on opinion polls for a specified period during the election process. He was asked as to what course of action the Election Commission would take on the claims made by a TV channel which did a sting operation on some polling agencies.
Sampath said the Election Commission will look into the allegations levelled by a TV news channel after a purported sting operation that “exposed” eleven agencies which conducted opinion polls.
Taking exception to alleged manipulation of opinion poll results by leading agencies, Congress knocked at the doors of the Election Commission seeking its intervention to register an FIR, invoke criminal charges and debar those involved.
The Congress has also demanded that the Commission invokes its powers under Article 324 of the Constitution to ensure free and fair polls by issuing instructions banning opinion polls until expiry of 48 hours from the close of polling for the ensuing lok Sabha elections.
In a letter to Chief Election Commissioner, AICC Secretary K C Mittal has sought the Commission’s immediate intervention and issuance of appropriate instructions to restrict publication of such opinion polls in view of the sting operation. The party also demanded that the matter be also referred to Press Council of India, the Ministry of I&B for their action under their authority.