Ban exit polls as they affect free, fair polls: Gill

New Delhi, Sep 7 (UNI) Former Chief Election Commissioner M S Gill today opposed ''compulsory voting'' but made an impassioned call for banning pre-poll opinion surveys and exit polls, saying they affected the conduct of free and fair elections by causing confusion among voters.

Participating in a debate in the Upper House on the 'The compulsory voting and prohibition of pre-poll survey and exit poll of Election Bill, 2004,' moved by Congress Chief Whip V Narayanswamy on August 24, Dr Gill said that 48 hours before polling, there should not be any such survey or their publication and telecast. ''This would enable the voters to decide without any external influence whom to vote for in a calm, cool and composed manner for the betterment of the country.'' However, Dr Gill opposed the proposal in the bill to make voting compulsory in an election as the provision for punishment for not voting would cause untold harassment of poor people by ''corrupt'' law enforcing agencies.

Advocating encouragement of highest percentage of voluntary voting, the former CEC said that till the time ''the government could provide compulsory food, shelter, health care, education and shelter to all, how could it enforce compulsory voting''.

Strongly advocating a ban on exit and opinion polls, he said all political parties should support the Election Commission in urging the apex court to remove the stay on the ban on such polls as it was the matter of highest priority for a democracy.

He said exit polls and opinion polls during the conduct of elections caused confusion among voters and were also against the law passed by Parliament in 1998 to ban anything which influenced the electorate.

He said this law had a provision of fine and two years imprisonment but it was not being implemented which was a serious matter.

Pointing out that all political parties were unhappy with the exit polls, he said they all should come forward to make a law banning them.

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