Opinion polls should be conducted in objective manner: NCP

NCP, a key constituent of the UPA, does not favour a ban on opinion polls ahead of elections, but wanted a body like the Press Council to ensure that they are "not sponsored" like paid news.
Party leader and Union minister Tariq Anwar said that while the party does not want a ban, but at the same time it should be seen that there are no sponsored opinion polls, which affects not only the credibility of the media, but also healthy democracy.
"Since media is free, bodies like Press Council should see that the opinion polls are conducted in an objective manner and that they are not sponsored to project a certain view point," Anwar said.

In a written reply to EC on October 30, Congress said it "fully endorses the views of the Election Commission of India to restrict publication and dissemination of opinion polls during election (time)."
"In fact, opinion polls during elections are neither scientific nor there is any transparent process for such polls," Congress said in its official response to EC.