Huge political debate on ban of opinion polls; BJP says Congress 'scared' of Narendra Modi

NEW DELHI: Congress decision to back Election Commission's views on restricting publication and dissemination of opinion polls during elections has come under severe criticism from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with the latter claiming that UPA is 'scared' of Narendra Modi since these surveys are now predicting an edge to the opposition party.

BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain has said, "Congress knows public opinion is in favour of Modiji. Scared of BJP's lead, Congress is seeking a ban on opinion polls." "Don't people have right to opinion? Congress wants to impose undeclared emergency," he opined.

Parkash Singh Badal of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has said, "Because they are losing badly, thats why Congress is seeking a ban. They don't want public to see results."

On the other hand CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury has said the results of such polls should not be made public till elections are held. "Opinion polls can be conducted but EC must set time frame wherein results shouldn't be published until elections are held," he has said.

Meanwhile, Congress has rejected BJP's criticism. Party general secretary Digvijay Singh rejected contentions that Congress changed its mind on the issue, saying he has been maintaining this about opinion polls from day one. "Not from today. We have always been against them from day one," he said.

"...These have become a farce. They should be banned altogether. The kind of complaints, information that I have got show that anybody can pay and get a survey as desired...In a country of 1.2 billion people, how can a few thousand people predict the trend. It has become a racket. So many groups have sprung up," he said.

The EC had last month sought views of various political parties on the issue of banning opinion polls after the government asked it to hold fresh consultations on the issue.

In a written reply to the Commission on October 30, the Congress party said that it "fully endorses the views of the Election Commission of India to restrict publication and dissemination of opinion polls during the election".

"In fact the opinion polls during election are neither scientific nor is there any transparent process for such polls," said the Secretary of the AICC Legal and Human Rights Department KC Mittal in the party's official response to the EC.

The party said that the random survey conducted "lacks credibility" and could be "manipulated and manoeuvred" by persons having "vested interest".

The opinion polls do not help in strengthening the democratic institutions and more often than not are "erroneous" as they do not represent the views of the majority of the electorate, it said.

"These are contrary to the basic electoral concept and process undertaken by the ECI in discharge of its obligations. As such we appreciate the initiative taken by ECI," Mittal said.

The poll body had asked various recognised national and state political parties to give their views on the issue by October 21.

At present, there is ban on opinion polls starting from 48 hours before voting.