Should Opinion polls be banned?

The moment election year nears, it is celebration time for psephologists, poll pundits and various research agencies. They come up with their own surveys,opinion polls, exit polls. While political parties which are predicted to win obviously support those polls, the others naturally oppose them tooth and nail.

However those who are conducting the surveys, polls claim that they follow scientific methods, cover sample data perfectly, practice sophisticated research methodology and consider all sections without any bias before coming out with their poll predictions. Argument against the exit and opinion polls is that it affects the thinking of the voters.

They claim voters go by the polls and survey reports and in the last minute change their minds and vote to the party or candidate which is predicted to win. But many psychologists and psephologists beg to differ saying it is an insult to the intelligence of voters. They also claim if that is the case why some opinion polls and forecasts went horribly wrong. Many times opinion and exit polls turned wrong, shocking the seasoned psephologists.

Many a times they were proven wrong especially in Tamil Nadu. When a poll predicted a close fight or expected one party to win, it turned out to be the opposite. Even in 2004 National elections when even foreign media and national channels predicted BJP victory, shockingly Congress came to power.

The case of Andhra Pradesh is no different. In the last elections, TDP was supposed to give tough fight and even come to power, but Congress won. In the just finished Delhi assembly elections, none of the exit polls are giving a clear picture. While one survey predicted BJP to win, another predicted close fight and some other forecast good show.

So, irrespective of some political parties calling for ban on exit polls, some analysts feel people watch all the predictions just to enjoy as they read horoscope or astrology predictions but in the end go by their own decision.

Finally No Polls or Exit Polls-For People only Good Governance matters and only parties which deliver on their promises will emerge winners!