Narayanasamy for banning exit polls

New Delhi, Aug 24 (UNI) Congress member V Narayanasamy today called for voting to be made compulsory to all citizens while exit polls and pre-poll surveys must be banned as they prejudice the mind of the electorate and are misleading.

Moving The Compulsory Voting and Prohibition of Pre-Poll Survey and Exit Poll of Elections Bill, 2004 for consideration in the Rajya Sabha, the Congress member from Puduchery suggested fines of Rs 5000 or Rs 10,000 for those who abstain from casting their votes or even suggested a week-long term of imprisonment.

The bill provides three years of imprisonment or a fine of Rs one lakh for those agencies involved in exit polls and pre-poll surveys.

He recalled that in 1997, the Election Commission held a meeting with all the parties and suggested that surveys should be banned before polls.

On compulsory voting, he said 33 countries have enforced it. In Bolivia, three months salary is deducted if the citizen does not vote and in Australia, the Social Security benefits are withdrawn.

''Many Indians, especially in the urban areas, do not vote and instead go for holidays on election day'', Mr Narayanasamy said.

He said true democracy will not flourish if people do not exerise their franshise. Right to vote is part of the Constitution and no one can abstain from it, he said.

On poll surveys, he said the media agencies impress their opinions on the minds of the people and those especially living in rural areas. Many times the surveys are not done in a scientific manner.

BJP's S S Ahluwalia said that many countries where voting is compulsory, have very small populations compared to that of India.

UNI