Take action against channels for airing opinion polls: Cong to EC

New Delhi: Claiming that alleged airing of "sponsored" opinion polls on the Gujarat assembly was a brazen attempt to influence the electorate, the Congress has on Wednesday urged the Election Commission to take strict action against the channels for violating the directions issued by the Election Commission. The voting for the first phase of Gujarat assembly election is scheduled on Thursday.

A delegation of Congress leaders led by AICC legal cell head Vivek Tankha met the Election Commission and apprised the poll body of the "violations by media". A memorandum has also been submitted by the Opposition party members.

The opposition party urged the EC to take action against news channels violating directions issued by it in respect of programmes related to the dissemination of election results. The Congress delegation further alleged that the media channels were predicting the poll outcome in a bid to influence the voters and this was a serious issue. Tankha also claimed that they have information concerning the "safety of the ballot boxes" and urged the Commission to ensure there is no tampering.

The Congress said that it has observed that certain news channels have been publishing programmes related to the dissemination of results for the 2022 Gujarat Legislative Assembly.

"These programmes are publishing 'opinion polls' favouring one particular party over the other. The programmes and their result prediction about the prospects of the various political parties in the Gujarat elections clearly aim to influence the electors of the constituencies

going to polls," the memorandum said.

"The Commission must enforce what it commands. We request this Commission to utilise its powers under Article 324 of the Constitution of India to address the issue by passing immediate directions to the news channels," it said.

The Congress leaders urged the EC to act with urgency as these violations undermine the sanctity of electoral laws and the authority of the

Commission.