Cong approaches Delhi EC over opinion poll in ToI, Times Now

The Delhi unit of the Congress party approached the State Election Commission for the second day today against a leading media house that published and aired an opinion poll on the municipal elections.

The Congress has sought registration of an FIR against the 'Times of India' and 'Times Now' for "violating" the Election Commission Guidelines and its Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) by publishing and airing the opinion polls during the 48 hours before the polls.

The opinion poll had come out on April 21, while the voting for the MCD elections was held yesterday.

Earlier on April 22, the Congress had complained to the EC and a notice was issued to the concerned media house.

"We have demanded the EC for registration of an FIR against ToI and Times Now Group for disturbing the free and fair elections by airing the opinion poll in restricted hours before the voting for MCD elections," Delhi Congress leaders Aman Panwar and Sharmishtha Mukherjee said.

Congress has complained that the opinion poll "grossly violated" the concept of free and fair election which is the foundation of our democracy.

The party cited relevant guidelines of the Commission that bars media houses from putting out opinion polls "during the period of 48 hours ending with the hour fixed for closing of poll in an election held in a single phase." The SOP of the EC puts similar restrictions on opinion poll, they said.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)