NEW DELHI: Election Fee on Tuesday took a jibe at exit polls – which have had a chequered historical past relating to the accuracy of their predictions, the case with latest Haryana polls being no totally different – saying that they’re neither based mostly on science nor make public disclosures relating to their methodology, however create a “distortion” by setting expectations with predictions of victory for a specific aspect three days earlier than counting.
At a press convention right here to announce meeting polls for Maharashtra and Jharkhand, chief election commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar mentioned the digital media placing out counting leads as early as 8.05-8.10 am was “nonsense”, stating that precise counting begins solely by 8.30 am, with the primary set of traits rising round 9.10 am. “I ponder if the preliminary traits (at 8.05-8.10 am) had been put out (by the information channels) solely to justify the exit ballot predictions,” he mentioned.
Stating {that a} mismatch between expectations created by exit ballot predictions and precise outcomes can typically result in severe points, Kumar mentioned that “the hole between expectation and achievement is nothing however frustration”.
Suggesting that it was time for reflection and introspection by these conducting and disseminating exit ballot outcomes, significantly the digital media, the CEC mentioned regardless that the EC doesn’t govern exit polls beneath the prevailing statutory regime, “there’s a have to introspect and self-regulate when it comes to the pattern dimension and site surveyed, methodology, fixing accountability within the occasion of survey findings not matching with precise outcomes, and making public disclosures within the curiosity of transparency”.
He opined that the time had come for our bodies like NBDSA (Information Broadcasting & Digital Requirements Authority), which govern exit polls, to do some self-regulation. “I’m positive all these accountable will do self-correction,” he mentioned.
Kumar mentioned after setting the expectations of events and the general public relating to the outcome, when counting began at 8 am for J&Okay and Haryana, there have been situations of stories channels placing out leads as early as 8.05-8.10 am. “That is nonsense. Counting begins solely by 8.30 am. I ponder if the preliminary traits (at 8.05-8.10 am) had been put out solely to justify the exit ballot predictions. Finally, the leads from the primary spherical of counting emerged round 9.05-9.10 am, and EC uploaded these on its web site by 9.30 am, adopted by updates at 11.30 am, 1.30 am, and so forth,” he mentioned.
“The information correspondent on the spot could have gotten the leads earlier as EC should first get the outcome signed and in addition verified by the observer, resulting in some delays in its being uploaded on the web site. However nonetheless, the primary set of traits are recognized solely after 9.10 am or so,” Kumar underlined.
All of the exit polls carried out in Haryana had predicted a cushty win to a landslide for Congress. The leads proven by information channels echoed the predictions very early into the counting, sparking celebrations within the Congress camp. Nonetheless, the image began altering by 10 am, probably as the primary set of traits had been uploaded on the EC web site. By 10.30 am, BJP had surged forward of Congress when it comes to leads, prompting the latter to query the delay in posting of traits, and later, lodge complaints concerning the discrepancy in battery lifetime of EVMs.
