The Election Commission has said prediction of election results by astrologers and tarot readers during the period when there is a ban on broadcasting exit polls is also a violation of law. The Poll body has asked both electronics and print media to refrain from airing and publishing such programmes in future elections to ensure free, fair and transparent elections.

In an advisory sent to the media organisations, the poll watchdog said this is violation of the spirit of Section 126A which aims to prevent the electors of constituencies still going to polls from being influenced in their voting by such predictions about the prospects of various political parties.

The Poll Body said, during recent polls, it has been observed that in the period when exit polls were prohibited, some of the TV channels telecast certain programmes projecting the number of seats likely to be won by political parties.

The strongly-worded advisory, also sent to the Press Council of India and News Broadcasters Association, said, such attempts merely to score brownie points against the competitors for merely commercial reasons do not behove well.