Ban pre-poll surveys by media 6 months before elections: Mayawati asks Election Commission

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Saturday said on Saturday that she will write to the Election Commission urging ban on pre-poll surveys by media organisations and other agencies from six months prior to any election in abid to rule out the possibilities of political influence on the poll results.

Addressing the 15th death anniversary of BSP founder Kanshi Ram here at the Kanshiram Smarak Sthal, Mayawati demanded that Bharat Ratna be given to the late Dalit leader and added that people in Uttar Pradesh have made up their mind on changing power in the state.

"Soon, a letter will be written to the Election Commission that surveys in the garb of business, by media organisations and other agencies be banned six months before the elections, so that the polls in the particular state are not influenced," she said.