After two months of high-pitch campaigning and seven phase of hectic poll schedule, now all eyes are on the
exit polls to know who is likely to rule the country for the next five years. However, there are instances when exit polls have been off the mark, but before the final results on the May 23rd, the polls may give a wider trend about who is likely to form the government.
Exit poll results are likely to start trickling shortly. Several news channels and agencies conduct these polls by asking the voter whom they have voted for immediately after they exit the polling stations on the election day.
There are instances when the exit polls have been wide off the mark (In 2004, exit polls predicted a NDA win but UPA emerged victorious), but sometimes it also hits the bull's eye (in 2014 Today's Chanakya projected 340 seats for NDA and 291 for the BJP).
Section 126A of the Representation of the People’s Act, 1951, puts a ban till the half an hour after the closing of the final phase of the poll. The ban will lift at 6.30 pm and the numbers will start trickling after that.
This time, Election Commission has issued an advisory to media organisation regarding publishing the exit polls.