Election Commission gave strong reaction on exit poll, trend and premature declaration of results, called it nonsense

New Delhi: Chief Election Commissioner Rajeev Kumar expressed a strong reaction to the issue of exit polls from the end of voting till the day of counting of votes and the trends of the results before the final results are announced. Expressing strong objection in this matter, he/she said that setting an expectation from exit polls is creating a huge disturbance. This is a matter of great introspection for the media also. When the counting time starts, results start coming at 8:05 and 8:10 in the morning, just nonsense.

What did the Chief Election Commissioner say about the exit poll?

Not only in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said that in the last few elections, two-three things are happening simultaneously. If we look at this entire canvas together, it is very important for everyone to understand this. In which first comes the exit poll, about which nothing is known about what was its sample size, where was the survey conducted and how was the result obtained. In such a situation, if there is no match with the exit poll results, then what is my responsibility? There is a need to think about it. This also needs to look at different bodies. Now there is another topic related to this which is very important. On the day the polling took place, an expectation started building when the exit polls were shown after 6 pm.

‘There is no scientific basis for this’

Everyone started feeling that this was going to happen i.e. this one was seen winning and this one was seen losing. Whereas it has no scientific basis. Now the time of counting day begins. In which results start coming from 8:05 am and 8:10 am. The Commission termed it nonsense. Because on the day of counting, ballot papers are counted from 8 am to 8:30 am, after which the votes cast in EVMs are counted from 8:30 am.

‘Do trends come to justify exit polls?’

The Commission said that now you tell me that my first counting starts at 8:30 in the morning, then how is the result. This time we have evidence in which lead cases were brought to the fore at some places that such and such candidates had so much lead and others had so much lead. The Commission expressed surprise that could it be possible that these initial lead trends were done to justify the exit polls. In which we had said that the trend is also happening and when the results actually come out, they start mismatching. Expressing deep concern in this matter, the Commission said that this is a serious matter. It is important to think about this.

What was said about tampering with EVMs and batteries?

When the results of Haryana elections came to light, the way tampering and hacking of EVMs and batteries came to light. In this matter, the Chief Election Commissioner said that no tampering is possible in this. he/she also said that someone even asked him/her the question that when the pager is blown up, then why can’t the EVM be hacked? In response, the Commission said that the pager is connected (to some server), whereas the EVM is not. he/she said that the Commission has received 20 complaints regarding EVMs. he/she will answer everything. he/she said that this time the issue of battery has come up, we don’t know what new will come next time, but we think it will definitely come.