A look at the head lines of some of leading news papers both at national and local level after the so called "Commissioned programme" of Doordarshan recently before third round of polling, amply illustrates the logic of the ban on such forecast when the election process is ‘on’. The biased headlines coupled with the doctored programme in Doordarshan, can misguide and influence the gullible part of the voters who have yet to participate in the polls.

Speaking to the press CPI(M) politburo member Sitaram Yechury said that in the light of the supreme court ruling that the election commission has no legal sanctity to stop exit and opinion poll. CPI(M) will be move for legislation in the forthcoming parliament for legal sanctity of those organisation who spread disinformation and misinformation in the name of freedom of the press. He said we are not against exit poll, or survey poll. We are against the spreading of disinformation campaign in the name of opinion poll and exit poll. People say that there is a right of information, exactly we are for the right of information for the people but people are also for the denying of right of disinformation. Giving example he said that this agency which had been commissioned by exist poll has wrongly predicated the result of Tamil Nadu, Maharastra and Rajasthan though the sum total more or less was predicted was corrected, because of these wrongly prediction when added up it came as same. Moreover, in the state assembly election the same organistion predicted a BJP victory in Madhya Pradesh, and a neck to neck fight in the assembly election which was again totally off the mark.

He said people talks of advanced countries, in some countries it is allowed in some countries it is not allowed at all. But one thing is scrupulously maintained that at no time exit poll results are declared before the end of the poll. In US itself there is three hours gap between one coast and the other, so when in one side the elections is end, it is seen that the exist poll is announced only after the entire election in complete in rest of the country. It is similar in Russia where there are eight time zones. At no point anywhere the exist poll results are announced as they have done in Doordarshan this time, which is bound to influence the results although the fact is entirely different I have toured myself in the entire south, west north and now coming from Bengal and Bihar the picture is different and there are likely to be surprises stored. So the ground reality do not match. With the reality moreover, when the election are held in phases this would bound to influence.
Sitram said that one of the suggestions to desist people from indulging in disinformation is to debar such people and organisation whose predictions go hayway more than the three percent error. Such people can be not allowed to do surveys in the next election. In the name of professional etc, not one has the right to spread disinformation he said.

Sitaram Yechuiry said that moreover Doordarshan has to incurred a loss of around Rs. Eight lakhs to telecast the two shows of exist poll. Actually the organisation should have paid rupess nine lakh instead of it had to pay only one lakh.

Sitaram was asked what the CPI(M) is saying is giving more power to the election commission, it was CPI(M) who is to call Sheshan all things, Sitaram said that as for fighting on issue on which Sheshan was fought we are still fighting and fight, neither we are giving more power to the election commission what we said is that no one should be allowed to spread disinforamtion and misinformation in the name of right to information.

WE are against gagging of press and on every count we had struggle whenever press was attacked.

HE was asked what CPI(M) is objecting in that case even newspaper prediction and reports are also influencing people and they should also be taken action, Sitaram said that there is difference between the two thing ,in the case of newspaper it is the papers view and it was the corespondent view but in the case of exist polls and survey it is said that it is the people view and showing that attempts is made to influence people.

An agitated journalists said in that case politicians are giving false promises and no action is taken do your party intended to move a bill to call back the representatives, Sitram Yechury said you are covering left parties for long and probably we know that we are the first party to demand for call back and on every occasion of electoral reforms we have been emphasing on this. I hope you will report this faithfully in your paper.

(The agitated journalists was from Bartaman and supported by Anandabazar and Telegraph)

Sitaram said that all sorts of allegation has been made by BJP spokesperson yesterday, that CPI(M) had been supporting congress etc. He said one should understand that in the last parliament we said that that in the given context of the composition it was congress who could give a stable government. With the end of the 12th Lok Sabha that things is over. Now in the 13 Lok Sabha there can be reforming of non-congress secular parties after the election to form a secular government. As it took place in the eleventh Lok Sabha after the election 11996 the third parties came together to keep the BJP.

AS it is seen that the already there have been question mark on the cohesion of the NDA. Trianmul Congress says that it will not be a member of the NDA but it will be in the government. Where as National Conference leader Sheikh Abdullah who was present at the time of release of the NDA manifesto says that he will not be in the government. Samata Party said today that in the north eastern region they have not understanding with BJP. In Karnataka the Janta Dal(U0 says that come what may the Patel will be next chief minister, He said that last time there was only one destabilisng factor in the alliance this time at least half a dozen. The new NDA will be much venerable to cracks then that of the last government.

But every thing will be clear only after the elections.