Fact Check: Times Now has not published exit poll for Andhra Pradesh elections; viral screenshot is fake
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has prohibited the publication of exit poll results until June 1.
By Md Mahfooz Alam Published on 16 May 2024 11:28 AM GMT
(Courtesy: X/@Kaalyanbabu)
Claim: Times Now published Andhra Pradesh elections exit polls predicting 95-100 seats for TDP, 16-18 seats for JSP, 3-5 seats for BJP and 55-60 seats for YSRCP.
Fact: The claim is false. Times Now has not published any exit poll and the viral screenshot is fake. The ECI has prohibited the publication of exit poll results until June 1.
Hyderabad: Following the completion of polling for 175 Assembly seats and 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh during the fourth phase of the ongoing General Elections on May 13, a screenshot of a purported exit poll by Times Now news channel has surfaced on social media.
The data in the screenshot claims that the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) could secure 95-100 seats, the Jana Sena Party (JSP) might clinch 16-18 seats, 3-5 seats for the BJP and 55-60 seats for the incumbent Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP).
Sharing the alleged exit poll (archive) on X, a user wrote, “It’s not Sakshi or tv9. It's times now channel, Andhra Pradesh exit poll. #Andhrapardeshelection2024 #AllianceSweepingAP #AllianceForABetterFuture #NDAallianceWinning #PawanakalyanWinningPithapuram #Pithapuram #pawankalyan. (sic)”
Fact Check
NewsMeter found that the exit poll is fake. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has prohibited the publication of exit poll results until June 1.
We scoured the social media handles (X, Facebook and Instagram) and the website of Times Now for the exit poll but found no mention of it.
Next, we searched for the guidelines of the ECI regarding the exit poll and came across reports by The Hindu and The Times of India from March 2024, which state that the Election Commission has banned the conduct, publication or publicising of exit polls between 7 am on April 19 and 6.30 pm of June 1 when votes will be cast for the Lok Sabha and four State Assembly polls.
We also came across a press note from the ECI regarding media coverage of the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, and Sikkim, published on April 2, 2024.
According to Section 126A of the RP Act 1951, the conduct of exit polls and the dissemination of their results are prohibited from the commencement of polling hours on the first day of polling (Phase 1) until half an hour after the close of polling in all states and Union territories (Phase 7).
The official X handle of the ECI, in a post on April 19, also announced that the publication of exit polls is prohibited from 7 am on April 19 until 6:30 pm on June 1.
On April 15, NewsMeter fact-checked two viral screenshots of 'exit poll results' for the Andhra Pradesh Assembly polls, reportedly published by The News Minute. The screenshots were shared by the supporters of the NDA alliance and the YSRCP, claiming a majority for their respective sides.
Hence, we conclude that the viral exit poll graphic using the Times Now name is fake. No such poll numbers have been published by the channel. The claim is false.
