Pollster cites high refusal rate and sampling challenges behind decision to not release projections for West Bengal
April 30, 2026: A day after releasing exit poll projections for four assemblies, Axis My India announced it will not publish estimates for West Bengal. Founder Pradeep Gupta said the decision was driven by issues affecting the sampling methodology, which left the survey incomplete and unreliable.
According to the pollster, nearly 70 per cent of voters declined to participate in the survey, creating a significant gap in data collection. The high refusal rate introduced a strong non-response bias, making it difficult to accurately capture voter sentiment. Gupta also pointed to an “environment of fear” as a key factor behind the reluctance of respondents, noting that the sampling process failed to meet expected standards.
While Axis My India opted out, other agencies released their projections, offering mixed signals. Some pollsters indicated an edge for the Bharatiya Janata Party, while others showed the Trinamool Congress retaining its advantage under Mamata Banerjee. With past exit polls in the state proving inaccurate, the final outcome will only be clear on counting day.