QUICK-100: Opinion or Exit Polls – be banned or a good time pass

There are different views about putting a ban on Exit or Opinion polls on elections. The sample used in opinion polls comprises people who may or may not eventually vote. In contrast, an exit poll is conducted after voting is over and comprises only those people who have voted.

Only those parties are scared of the results in most opinion polls in recent times, want the Election Commission to ban them taking the plea that such opinion polls are managed by poor methods and rather misled than to give authentic information.

Taking the example of 2017 polls in Punjab, the SAD did not oppose the ban of Exit polls or opinion polls as the same were in their favour.  Now in 2022, the same is not in their favour, the party is claiming to ban such opinion polls.

The opinion and exit polls come only after the close of the polling in all the states announced for polling. Such will have an impact only if there are immediate elections in any other state as the voters can change their voting preferences at the last minute.

Frankly speaking, while projecting the opinion polls the methodology like as to how the data was collected or it was done through a questionnaire, interview or phone call, etc. and even the source is not disclosed. 

The opinion polls look to be paid surveys like the paid news.  It would be better to ignore any survey that does not provide any details to all these questions.

Anyhow, it is a good time pass for the TV channels to increase its visitors’ TRP when no other burning or breaking news is available, between the period of closing the polls and declaration of final results.