News Elections Lok-sabha-elections-2019 Election Commission asks Twitter to take down all exit poll-related posts

Election Commission asks Twitter to take down all exit poll-related posts

The EC's move came after it received certain "complaint", sources aware of the development said on Thursday, adding that the user later removed the tweet.

The exit polls will be announced on May 19. Image Source : FILE/PTIThe exit polls will be announced on May 19.

The Election Commission of India has reportedly asked Twitter to remove all tweets related to exit polls.

The EC's move came after it received certain "complaint", sources aware of the development said on Thursday, adding that the user later removed the tweet.

The sources, however, did not specify the complaint. "There is no such general order issued by ECI today. Only one case was reported to us today which the user himself removed," a senior functionary said.

The exit polls will be announced on May 19.

The Election Commission has earlier issued show-cause notice to three media outlets for allegedly publishing a survey "predicting results" of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Section 126A of the Representation of the People Act states that "no person shall conduct any exit poll and publish or publicise by means of the print or electronic media... the result of any exit poll during such period... In case of a general election, the period may commence from the beginning of the hours fixed for poll on the first day of poll and continue till half an hour after closing of the poll in all the states and union territories."

The section also prescribes that any person, who contravenes the provisions of this section, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with fine or with both.

Polling for the seventh and last phase of Lok Sabha elections will be held on May 19.