Lok Sabha elections: The 44-day-long Lok Sabha elections ends today. The seven-phase Lok Sabha election will conclude with voting on 57 parliamentary seats in seven states and Chandigarh union territory. Once polling ends, the exit polls will be out by 6.30 pm. Exit polls are slated to predict the expected victors and the scale of their win. Vote counting for all 543 Lok Sabha seats is scheduled for June 4.
The election process started on April 19, which was the first phase. The next phase was on April 26. The following phases took place on May 7, May 13, May 20, and May 26; the last phase is set for June 1.
The main contest is between the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) or the Congress-led opposition INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) bloc.
Exit polls
An exit poll is conducted after the election to gather voter preferences, while an opinion poll is done before the election. In an exit poll, voters reveal their chosen candidate upon leaving the polling place, while in an opinion poll, individuals state their intended voting choice.
Exit polls offer instant feedback on post-election voter preferences, distinct from pre-election surveys. They are carried out by private firms or media outlets, not government bodies.
Exit poll results for the 2024 General Elections will be revealed on June 1, after the voting ends for the seventh phase. The Election Commission of India restricts sharing exit poll data before voting ends, in accordance with Section 126A of the Representation of the People's Act, 1951.
Section 126A of the Representation of the People's Act, 1951 says: “No person shall conduct any exit poll and publish or publicise by means of the print or electronic media or disseminate in any other manner, whatsoever, the result of an exit poll during such period as may be notified by the Election Commission in this regard."
The 2024 Lok Sabha election exit polls will air live on June 1 after the final phase voting concludes at 6 pm. The live broadcast of the exit polls will begin at 6.30 pm on the same day.
2019 & 2014 Lok Sabha elections
In 2019, India Today Group-Axis My India's exit poll predicted NDA bloc to secure 339-365 seats and UPA 77-108 seats. The actual results showed NDA winning 350 seats, UPA 92 seats, and others 100 seats.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections, the NDA was estimated to win around 257-340 seats. However, the NDA won 336 seats.
Though exit polls rely on voter feedback post-election to gauge public sentiment before official results, their accuracy has been questioned due to past discrepancies.
In 1957, India saw its inaugural exit poll by the Indian Institute of Public Opinion during the second Lok Sabha elections. State-run Doordarshan collaborated with CSDS to conduct nationwide exit polls in 1996. Subsequently, various entities joined in, often partnering with television networks to conduct surveys.