2024 Lok Sabha Elections: What are Exit Polls and When will Exit Polls results be released?

Voting for the 2024 Indian Lok Sabha elections will begin on June 1 with the seventh and final phase of voting.

But shortly after the final voting day on Saturday, various agencies will be releasing figures projecting the likely winners and margins of victory based on the data they have collected.

These predictions are made based on voter feedback collected by polling agencies after the polls have been cast. Even though the predictions are not always correct and have been scrutinized before, the idea behind exit polls is to reflect public sentiment ahead of the announcement of the actual results.

When will the exit polls be released?

The ECI strictly prohibits conducting exit polls during the voting process but allows them to be published 30 minutes after the final vote. As per rules, exit poll data cannot be published before 6.30 pm on the final voting day.

However, many TV stations start publishing exit polls under different names just before the final stages of the election are over.

Any person who fails to comply with the provisions of Section 126A governing exit polls will be punished with imprisonment of up to two years, or with fine, or with both, as per law.

The history of exit polls

The first exit poll was conducted in India in 1957, when the Indian Institute of Public Opinion conducted a post-poll survey for the second Lok Sabha elections.

In 1996, state broadcaster Durdarshan hired CSDS to conduct exit polls across the country.

The official results will be announced on June 4th.

The official results of the 2024 Indian Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to be announced by the Election Commission of India on June 4.

When and where can you watch the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections exit polls live?

Get real-time updates on exit polls at News18.com. For accurate predictions and timely information, check our website regularly. Stay tuned for the latest updates.