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House panel takes views on exit poll curbs

Special Correspondent

KOCHI: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice on Monday took the views of politicians, government officials and non-governmental organisations on two Bills that propose curbs on exit polls and changes in electoral laws.

The committee, headed by E.M. Sudarsana Natchiappan and including two Kerala MPs — Varkala Radhakrishan and P. Satheedevi — has been touring various States seeking inputs from different sections.

One of the proposed laws, “The Representation of the People (Second Amendments) Bill 2008,” seeks to raise the quantum of security deposit for candidates from Rs.10,000 to 25,000 in a Lok Sabha election and from Rs. 5,000 to Rs.10,000 in an Assembly election.

It will amend the original Act of 1950 and the amended Act of 1951.

The Bill also seeks to put curbs on exit polls during elections by adding clauses to Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act 1951.

The proposed Section 126 A says: “No person shall conduct any exit poll and publish or publicise by means of the print or electronic media or disseminate in any other manner, whatsoever, the result of any exit poll during such period, as may be notified by the Election Commission.”

The next sitting will be held in Bangalore.

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