The Election Commission has asked the government to take appropriate action on a complaint about alleged manipulation of opinion polls by agencies.

In a communication to the ministries of Law, Corporate Affairs and Information and Broadcasting, the Commission said the matter involves allegations of conspiracy to prepare false reports and polls for publishing misleading information on illegal payment of money.

The Commission has also written to the Press Council and News Broadcasting Association to consider prescribing appropriate guidelines and norms to be followed by the media while engaging the agencies for conducting opinion polls.

The Commission had received a complaint from Congress on a sting operation done by a news channel purportedly showing that some agencies engaged in conducting opinion polls were tweaking the figures.