RS approves bill to ban exit polls

Members cutting across party lines on Wed backed govt's move to ban exit polls during election period as the Rajya Sabha passed a bill which seeks punishment, including imprisonment, for those violating the ban.

The Representation of People (Second Amendment) Bill added more teeth to the existing provisions on the restriction on publication and dissemination of exit polls.

It seeks to punish every person involved in the process of the conduct and dissemination of exit polls.

Any person who contravenes the provisions shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with fine or with both, according to a new section inserted in the Bill.

The new section also stipulates that an offence committed by a company, every person who at the time of the offence committed was incharge and responsible for the conduct of the exit poll shall be deemed guilty and would be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.

The ban may commence from the beginning of the hours fixed for the poll on the first day and continue till half-an-hour after closing of the poll, the Bill said.