New Delhi, May 13
With almost all exit and opinion polls predictions falling flat on the ground, the former Chief Election Commissioner and Rajya Sabha MP, Dr M.S. Gill, said the role of these polls should be looked at afresh.
Talking to The Tribune, Mr Gill said the Supreme Court, before which a case was pending, should look at the issue comprehensively in the light of its predictions which were wild of the mark, international practice and possible misuse to influence the voters to further the interest of certain political parties.
Mr Gill, who had initially banned the publication and telecast of exit polls before it was stayed by a court order, said internationally exit polls results were made public after the final phase of polling.
Stating that the polls were being conducted in the country with commercial interest, the newly elected RS member from Punjab said, “it was interesting to see how the pollsters mixed up the opinion and exit polls data after each phase to predict the number of seats — rather unique phenomenon.”
While lauding the commission and the 50 lakh civil and para-military personnel, who silently worked for the smooth conduct of the polls in the world’s largest democracy, Mr Gill said it would have been better had the number of phases been much less.
On the electronic voting machines, which he introduced, the former CEC said the remarkable achievement of this general elections was the flawless functioning of 11 lakh EVMs in different weather conditions.
Election officials from different nations were in the country to observe the functioning of the EVMs, he said, adding “what India has used now and test, the world would use it in the near future.”
Stating that Indian electorate had always sprung up surprises, he said, “this only indicated that democracy in the country is vibrant and deep rooted.”
Interesting facet of this general election, he said, was the way electorate in Gujarat completely negated the communal politics of the BJP.
They had stopped the growth of sectarian politics which was posing a dangerous threat to Indian polity, he said.
Taking a dig at the ‘feel good’ campaign, he said it was vote in favour of the economic issue highlighted by the Congress President Sonia Gandhi, which affected the real India.
About the ‘India Shining’ campaign of the BJP-led NDA, he said the whole (India Shining) campaign cricket team has been clean bowled by a single lady (Sonia Gandhi), who was the bowler, batsman, wicket keeper and the fielder.”
