Ban on Exit Polls
Dr. M.Veerappa Moily, Minister of Law and Justice informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply that the Government has amended the Representation of People’s Act to prohibit of conduct of exist polls till the last phase of polling is over. The Minister said that the provision of sections 126A and 126B, as inserted in the Representation of the People Act, 1951, vide the Representation of the People (Amendment) Act, 2009 (41 of 2009) which was brought into force w.e.f. 01.02.2010 prohibits the conduct of exit polls during elections.
The Minister further informed the House that the above amendment does not include ‘opinion polls’. The Government has not taken any considered view on the present proposal of the Election Commission to put a ban on conduct of opinion polls.
VLK/ska