Patna, November 6: The high-stake assembly elections in Bihar will conclude on Saturday, when the Election Commission has scheduled the third and final phase of voting. After the polling period is over, news channels and other media outlets can project the exit polls. Here's when and where to watch the post-election survey results and analysis.

The Election Commission, in a statement issued last month, barred the electronic, digital or print media to project any part of the exit polls before 6:30 pm on November 7. The prohibition is aimed at preventing the media from influencing voters at a time when the polling is still underway. What is an Exit Poll? Are Exit Polls Reliable? Know All About Post-Voting Survey That May Suggest Mood of The Electorate.

While the polls end at 6:00 pm, an additional 30-minute buffer period is mandated as those queued up outside the polling booths are allowed to vote. From 6:30 pm onwards, news channels and other media outlets would allowed to release the exit poll outcome.

Readers also recommended to stay tuned with LatestLY, which will be compiling and publishing exit poll numbers of all major surveyors and news channels. Key Candidates in Phase 3 Include Sharad Yadav's Daughter, RJD's Abdul Bari Siddiqui, 8 Ministers of Nitish Cabinet.

What Are Exit Polls?

Surveys during an election are primarily of two kinds - pre-poll surveys and post-poll surveys. The former are referred to as opinion polls, which give an insight on the electoral sentiment of voters, which political parties they are preferring, who is their preferred CM candidate and which are the major issues for them.

The post-poll surveys, on the other hand, are based on the inputs received from voters after exiting the polling booth. This survey is known as exit polls. The surveyors select a sample size, which is spread across an array of constituencies and districts, and ask them who they have voted for. The primary purpose of this academic exercise is to predict a winner before the official vote count.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 06, 2020 11:44 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).