Exit Poll 2026

An exit poll is a survey where voters are asked which political party they are supporting after they have cast their votes in an election. It differs from an opinion poll, which is held before the elections. An exit poll is conducted to give an idea of which party has the advantage and how many seats they are winning.

The most common way of conducting an exit poll is collecting samples. These samples are questions like what citizens feel about a particular party or its works in the past. The participants are also asked why a voter chose to press the button for any party and the reason behind their choice.

The first exit poll was conducted in India by the Indian Institute of Public Opinion in 1957, which was during the second Lok Sabha elections.

Pre-poll surveys generally ask respondents how they will vote in the upcoming election and regarding the voting behaviour before the polls. On the other hand, post-poll surveys are conducted among participants who have already cast their votes.

Exit polls are not supposed to be telecast from before voting begins till the last phase concludes. The exit polls are governed by several rules such as Section 126A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, according to which no person is allowed to conduct any exit poll and publish or publicise the results by print and electronic media or in any other manner while voting is undergoing.

The first exit poll was conducted in 1957, during the second Lok Sabha elections in India where the Indian Institute of Public Opinion conducted the survey. However, the first serious poll survey started surfacing in the 1980s, with the growing visibility of satellite television.