Exit polls

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What is the Exit Poll?

• An exit poll asks voters which political party they are supporting after they have cast their votes in an election. In this, it differs from an opinion poll, which is held before the elections. 
• An exit poll is supposed to give an indication of which way the winds are blowing in an election, along with the issues, personalities, and loyalties that have influenced voters.
• An exit poll, on the other hand, is conducted immediately after people have voted, and assesses the support for political parties and their candidates.
• Today, exit polls in India are conducted by a number of organisations, often in tie-ups with media organisations. The surveys can be conducted face to face or online.

• In 1957, during the second Lok Sabha elections, the Indian Institute of Public Opinion had conducted such a poll.
• However, an opinion poll is a pre-election survey to gather voters’ views on a range of election-related issues. 
• The EC held its first consultation with political parties on exit and opinion polls on December 22, 1997 — when Dr M S Gill was Chief Election Commissioner.

Rules governing exit polls in India-

• The issue of when exit polls should be allowed to be published has gone to the Supreme Court thrice in various forms.  

• Currently, exit polls can’t be telecast from before voting begins till the last phase concludes.

• In India, results of exit polls for a particular election are not allowed to be published till the last vote has been cast.

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