ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has slapped a ban on exit and entry polls including those on official digital media accounts of print and electronic media outlets as well as social media influencers.
The ECP, through a code of conduct for the upcoming general polls, has also barred any kind of surveys at any polling station or constituency that may influence voters’ free choice of casting vote.
An entrance poll entails asking participants who they intend to support in the election or a comparable series of questions. In a similar way, an exit poll collects opinions from voters after they leave the polls regarding their voting behavior.
While addressing the issues regarding the content, ECP further states that “the content on print & electronic media, any media person, newspaper, channel operating official accounts on digital media and social media influencers shall not include any aspect which might be construed as personal attack on candidates or political parties on the basis of gender, religion, sect, caste, baradari etc.”
The code bounds media houses to provide details of expenditures made by any political party that runs a paid advertisement on their platform. In addition to that, it further states, “The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Press Information Department (PID), Cyber Wing and Digital Media Wing of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MoIB) shall monitor the coverage given to political parties and candidates for their election campaigns through electronic channels, print and social media. The above authorities shall submit to the commission details of payments made by the political parties and candidates within 10 days after poll day.”
