Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar on Tuesday criticised the practice of news channels showing early trends on election counting day, calling it “nonsense”. Speaking at a press conference, Kumar expressed concern over the impact of exit polls and urged the media, particularly electronic media, to engage in self-reflection.
“We do not govern exit polls, but there is a need for self-introspection,” Kumar said, flanked by Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and SS Sandhu. He questioned the methodology behind exit polls, asking, “What was the sample size, where was the survey done, and what is my responsibility if the result doesn’t match?” He emphasized that such polls create distractions by raising unrealistic expectations among the public.
Kumar also suggested that regulatory bodies like the News Broadcasting and Digital Standards Authority should encourage self-regulation in reporting election trends and results. “Counting starts roughly on the third day after elections end, but trends are shown as early as 8:05 am, even though official counting begins at 8:30 am. This is nonsense,” he remarked. The CEC speculated that early trends might be shown to justify exit polls.
The Election Commission begins posting official trends and results on its website from 9:30 am onwards, updating them at two-hour intervals. Kumar explained that while media correspondents at counting stations may access results earlier, the process of displaying results officially takes time. “The results must be displayed, polling agents must sign off, and observers must verify the outcomes before they appear on the website,” he said, noting that this could lead to a 30-minute delay.
Kumar warned that the gap between early trends and actual results can cause frustration, as seen recently when the Congress questioned delays in result updates during the Haryana assembly polls.
