On Monday (22nd April), the country’s leading polling agency, Axis My India lodged an FIR days after some netizens shared a fake opinion poll attributing it to the agency. The agency has sought action against the culprits and has named certain X handles in the FIR.
According to news agency IANS, some of the handles named in the FIR include @MahuaMoitraFans and @amoxcicillin1. The FIR also lists the links these handles used to share the fake opinion poll on social media.
Axis My India said that there was an inherent motive to build a positive opinion about the I.N.D.I.A. bloc and also to tarnish the name of the organisation.
Confirming that the agency has filed an FIR in this matter, Pradeep Gupta wrote, “Elections are won on the ground by gaining people’s mandate and not by creating fake polls. Individuals/ groups who try to create false narratives should know this basic fact. Taking strict action, @AxisMyIndia has lodged an FIR over the circulation of a fake opinion poll in its name and sought action against the culprits. Axis My India reiterates that it only conducts post-poll studies as per ECI guidelines.”
Elections are won on the ground by gaining people’s mandate and not by creating fake polls. Individuals/ groups who try to create false narratives should know this basic fact.
— Pradeep Gupta (@PradeepGuptaAMI) April 22, 2024
Taking strict action @AxisMyIndia has lodged an FIR over the circulation of a fake opinion poll in its… pic.twitter.com/Ga7FV7d70V
The development comes days after some social media handles shared a few pictures claiming that it was from an Opinion Poll conducted by Axis My India. The purported opinion poll, which was later found out to be fake, was titled ‘No majority for BJP, NDA has a slight edge’. It also claimed that the General Elections 2024 were evenly poised and the NDA doesn’t have the edge as projected in the media space.
Hi @PradeepGuptaAMI , here some handles. Kindly lodge the FIR if you have the guts to go against Congress and Sonia Gandhi pic.twitter.com/w2ch3CoRzB
— Rohit (@Iam_Rohit_G) April 22, 2024
Predicting a close contest between the BJP-led NDA and Congress-led UPA, the fake opinion poll gave 243 seats to the NDA and 242 seats to the I.N.D.I. alliance. While many X users deleted their posts containing the fake Opinion Poll, it still exists on the timelines of other handles.
🚨🚨AXIS MY INDIA CONFIDENTIAL LOKSABHA OPINION POLL LEAKED!!
— Newton (@newt0nlaws) April 18, 2024
BJP — 208 seats (37%)
INC — 123 seats (26%)
NDA — 243 (44%)
INDIA – 242 (43%)
It seems 45 days long elections will hit BJP badly and they will be less that 180.
The Game is on, INDIA is coming🔥🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/aeMA4NHUH3
Axis My India. pic.twitter.com/RC0ugQOvn3
— Priyanshu Kushwaha (@PriyanshuVoice) April 19, 2024
Don't trust Godi Media opinion polls.There is a survey conducted by Axis My India.#ModiTohGayo pic.twitter.com/5Qhw487vCA
— Arijit Mukherjee(অরিজিৎ মুখার্জি)🇮🇳 (@ArijitmINC) April 20, 2024
Axis My India survey:
— Sunil Bishnoi (@SunilM29) April 18, 2024
NDA: 243-254 seats
INDIA: 232-242 seats
Others: 40-55 seats
BJP: 208-219 seats
BJP Allies: 35-38 seats
Congress: 115-123 seats
Congress Allies: 120-128 seats
Vote Share:
NDA – 44%
INDIA – 43%
Others – 13%
Rahul Gandhi will be the next Prime Minister✌🏻 pic.twitter.com/uAogWTygEI
Back then, Axis My India had pointed out that the purported Opinion poll being circulated on social media was fake. It categorically noted that the polling agency only conducts post-poll studies as per ECI guidelines.
In its official statement, Axis My India said, “With regards to the upcoming 2024 Indian General Elections, certain opinion polls are being published using the name of Mr. Imadeep Gupta, Axis My India, since the past few days, which are completely false (misleading). This is to inform you all that Axis My India never publishes any kind of pre-poll/opinion poll.”
Important Update:
— Axis My India (@AxisMyIndia) April 19, 2024
Some posts and reports are misusing Axis My India name. Don’t trust any such reports. pic.twitter.com/OkvWg9oxRr
Reacting to the fake opinion poll, Axis My India Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) Pradeep Gupta said that the Opposition parties were deliberately pushing their agenda to create a ‘favourable’ impression among voters in the election season.
Speaking to IANS, Gupta added that it was an illegal and fraudulent act by the opposition parties for ‘electoral gains’ and for this, they were misusing the name of his polling agency.
