Know What Is Exit Poll Result And Why Election Commission Ordered Action Against Odisha's Nandighosha TV

Amidst the on going polling process for the Lok Sabha Election 2024 and Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, which were announced and are being held simultaneously, the Election Commission of India has directed Odisha chief electoral officer to take immediate action against Nandighosha TV for telecasting exit polls.

The television network aired exit poll results on Wednesday.

Taking cognizance of the breach of the poll body's rule 126A (Representation of the People Act, 1951) which prohibits Exit Polls before the conclusion of polling in all phases, the ECI directed action against the media house.

The seventh and final phase of polling to elect the 18th Lok Sabha will be held on June 1, Saturday.

Earlier, the poll conducting body notified prohibition on the exit poll period from April 19 to June 1 till 6.30 PM.

However, Nandighosha TV reportedly breached the directive and shared exit poll data for Odisha hours after polling for the state assembly election was concluded. But the channel's news editor forgot that polling for the Lok Sabha Election 2024 is still underway and the exit poll data may effect voters in other states, where the seventh phase of voting is yet to take place.

What are Exit Polls and why the court has banned telecasting them during elections?

Exit polls are a kind of survey or data collected from people who have just voted in order to predict the result of the election. However, releasing results of such data may affect the mind set of people in other areas where polling is yet to be held.

Taking suo moto cognizance of the matter, the Supreme Court has banned Exit Polls in India during the election process.