News Broadcasting
Cranes sofware to assist CNN-IBN on poll count
NEW DELHI: Even as voters are getting ready to cast their votes in the fifth and final phase of the Lok Sabha elections tomorrow, news television channels are gearing up to give live coverage of the results as they come in and trends that emerge on the counting day, 16 May.
Cranes Software International Limited (Cranes) will analyse the findings of opinion and exit polls as well as do the analysis of early trends for the CNN-IBN TV news channel on the counting day.
Dr Rajeeva Karandikar, Cranes Software executive vice president, a former professor at the Indian Statistical Institute, has been driving this exercise along with the team from the Analytics Group of Cranes. The team uses Cranes’ in-house statistical software product Systat and its derivatives to analyse the data.
In January and February 2009 as a run up to the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, the Cranes Software team analysed data collected during the opinion poll commissioned by CNN-IBN. The raw data was collected by CSDS – the Center for the Study of Developing Societies under the leadership of noted psephologist Yogender Yadav, while the statistical analysis and implications of the data on the final composition of the Lok Sabha was presented by Karandikar in a TV program anchored by Rajdeep Sardesai on CNN-IBN.
The Cranes team has been involved in assimilating, analysing and preparing the raw data received from AC Nielsen for use in the graphics that go on air. The team at Cranes uses their powerful statistical analysis and graphics software – Systat, to run statistical models on early counting trends and make early seat projections of the final composition of the house. The graphics team at CNN-IBN then renders the findings into graphs which are then telecast on the CNN-IBN channel along with IBN7 (Hindi), IBN Lokmat (Marathi) and occasionally on CNBC channels.
This exercise is to take place again during the post election coverage on CNN-IBN between 13 May and 17 May.
News Broadcasting
UDF poised to return to power in Kerala, says Manorama-CVoter survey
Massive opinion poll projects shift in Kerala politics ahead of 2026 Assembly elections.
MUMBAI: The winds of change appear to be blowing through Kerala’s political landscape and this time, they seem to favour the United Democratic Front. A comprehensive mega opinion survey conducted by Manorama News in partnership with CVoter projects a potential comeback for the UDF in the upcoming Kerala Legislative Assembly Elections 2026. The survey, covering all 140 constituencies with a massive sample size of nearly 90,000 respondents, predicts the UDF could win between 69 and 81 seats.
The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) is expected to secure 57 to 69 seats, a significant drop from the 99 seats it won in the 2021 elections. This would mean the LDF losing 30 to 42 of its sitting seats. Meanwhile, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which drew a blank in 2021, is projected to open its account with 1 to 5 seats.
Region-wise, the UDF is expected to make strong gains in Malabar, winning 25 to 34 out of 48 seats, and in Central Kerala, where it could bag 29 to 33 out of 53 seats. In South Kerala, the LDF is likely to retain an edge with 21 to 25 seats, while the UDF may improve to 12 to 16 seats. The NDA could pick up 1 to 3 seats in the southern region.
The survey was conducted between 14 and 26 March 2026, with additional tracker and snap polls carried out from December 2025 to March 2026. A total of 89,693 respondents participated, ensuring representation across all demographics and social segments.
Manorama News has a strong track record of accuracy, with its previous projections closely matching the actual results of the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections as well as the 2021 Kerala Assembly polls.
In Kerala’s famously fierce political battles, this survey suggests the pendulum may be swinging back. Whether the final verdict matches these numbers or throws up another surprise, one thing is clear, the 2026 Assembly elections are shaping up to be one of the most keenly watched contests in the state’s history.
