DEO bans opinion polls in Hyderabad
Hyderabad, April 24 (INN): District Election Officer and GHMC Commissioner Somesh Kumar said that the telecast by certain television channels and publishing of the same by some newspapers amounts to violation of Section 126A of RP Act, 1951that prohibits 'publication and dissemination of result of exit poll, etc ' (1) No person shall conduct any exit poll and publish or publicize by means of the print or electronic media or disseminate in any other manner, whatsoever the result of any exit poll during such period'.
The DEO said that the prohibited period for this purpose is explained as 'the period may commence from the beginning of the hours fixed for poll on the first day of poll and continues till half an hour after closing of the polling in all the states and union territories.
Somesh Kumar informed that the Election Commission of India has given certain instructions stating that it has been brought to the notice of the Commission that certain news channels have broadcast what they call opinion polls on 14th April even as multi-phase polls in respect of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections have been announced and are in progress, starting from 7th April and the last date of poll being 12th May. Certain newspapers have also published the so called 'opinion poll'.
The DEO informed that in view of the fact that the results of aforesaid 'opinion poll' also included results in respect of various polls which have already been concluded in 111 Parliamentary Constituencies held on 7th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th April, this dissemination of result of 'opinion poll' in effect becomes dissemination of result of exit polls in respect of the said Constituencies. The Commission has noticed that the results of the aforesaid 'opinion poll' indeed included the number of seats expected to be won by political parties where polls have already been held.
Somesh Kumar said that in order to maintain level playing field and to ensure free and fair elections, the Election Commission of India advises all print and electronic media not to resort to the publication/telecasting of opinion polls, which for all practical purpose mean publication of exit poll while claiming that the same is only an opinion poll.
News Posted: 23 April, 2014
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