The call for a ban on opinion polls is draconian

Opinion is a pillar of democracy. And right to seek and give opinion one of the basic rights that any citizen enjoys in a democracy. This base fundamental cannot be changed. Else it will create a Frankenstein which will gobble up  democracy itself.

Keeping this as a background, the idea of a ban on opinion polls is extremely draconian and dangerous. To start with, opinion polls are at best just another piece of content that the media needs at times to fill time slot or space or at times to shore up the TRPs. The idea of opinion polls actually helping undecided voters form an opinion or change already established one is far-fetched. India as a nation is too large and electorally too heterogeneous to be uniformly impacted by an opinion poll. At best, opinion polls give an indicator of what the nation could be thinking. Congress stand on opinion polls seems more driven from a view that this is another bad news in a series of bad news that the party is grappling with currently.

Let's look at the grounds on which ban is being sought. They talk of small sample size. While sample size, methods, procedures, questions of polls etc can be debated and a better methodology of opinion polls can be thought of. But a ban on it is just not in spirit of the democracy.

While opinion polls might have their own limitation in terms of their impact on electoral politics, the idea to ban it raises some genuine concerns. What next to ban? More opinions are sought and given at local paan shops, tea stalls, barber salons, bars, office canteens and other such places. Opinions given here are powerful and passionate enough to impact electoral politics. Will the Congress seek a ban on political discussions at these places? Or would they enforce section 144 to keep crowds away from political opinion. Next could also be the media - traditional and social. Ban on opinion polls is not just an act, its a philosophy, one of intolerance and arrogance. 

Irrespective of which party has called for the ban and individual political ideologies, if we don't oppose the ban on opinion polls, tomorrow we might be stopped from voicing a political opinion in our living room.

(Jiten Gajaria is Convenor, Social Media Cell, BJP Maharashtra. He is also an entrepreneur and writes on political issues. He tweets at @jitengajaria) 

Also read: Can opinion and exit polls cannot have the last word on election outcome?