The union Cabinet today banned the publication or telecast of exit polls during a staggered election.
This fulfills a long-standing demand of the Election Commission, which had pointed that the exit polls tend to influence the voters’ choice amidst a stretched-out and multi-phase election. Political parties too had supported this as they felt the exit polls were being manipulated to change the voters’ preferences.
Announcing this decision after the meeting of the Cabinet, Finance Minister P Chidambram said that the Cabinet had approved making an amendment to the Representation of People Act, 1951, for banning the exit polls till the last poll in an election was over.
“Restriction on telecast of exit polls would enable the voters to exercise their right to vote without being influenced by the projection of telecast after the one phase of voting is over and the other phases of voting are yet to be completed,’’ he said.