SC Dismisses PIL Seeking Probe Against Media Houses For Airing Exit Polls Post-Lok Sabha Elections

The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that sought an investigation against media houses and their associates for airing exit polls immediately after the final phase of the Lok Sabha elections.

A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said,"The government is already elected now. Let us close the saga of what happens during elections and focus on governance in the country. This is a clear case of political interest litigation. Dismissed."

The petition sought an investigation into media houses and their associated companies for allegedly broadcasting exit polls immediately after the final phase of the Lok Sabha elections, influencing investors, and causing a stock market crash on June 4, which resulted in a loss of Rs 31 lakh crore.

The plea, filed in June, argued that media houses began discussing exit polls as soon as the last phase of voting concluded on June 1, misleading common investors to invest in the stock market until it reopened on June 3 (Monday), causing an unexpected market surge.

It further claimed that while the stock market rose after the exit polls, it crashed following the actual results on June 4, leading to significant financial losses for common investors. Advocate BL Jain, who filed the plea through advocate Varun Thakur, noted that this massive loss would impact both the Indian economy and its global reputation.

The petition argued that news broadcasts must not show bias towards any political party, and criticized the media for allegedly operating as a commercial entity influenced by political interests. It claimed that the prediction of exit polls violated Section 126A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and the Election Commission of India's guidelines dated April 2, 2024.

The plea called for an investigation by agencies such as the CBI, ED, CBDT, SEBI, and SFIO against media outlets like Axis My India, India Today Media Plex, Times Now, Independent News Service Private Ltd. (India TV), ABP News Pvt Ltd., Republic Media Network, News National Network Pvt Ltd., TV9 Bharatvarsh, and NDTV. It asserted that the Representation of the People Act, 1951, was established to ensure free and fair elections and to regulate the electoral process. However, it claimed that the media, in collusion with corporate entities, manipulated election outcomes through exit polls, undermining the democratic principle of free and fair elections and violating the rule of law.