Exit Polls banned from 27 March to 29 April by any form of media: Election Commission

March 25: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has prohibited the conduct and publishing of any exit poll between 27 March (7.00 AM) to 29 April (7.30 PM) by any form of media. It was stated that, “Section 126A of The Representation of the People Act, 1951(in short R.P. Act, 1951) specifies that “No person shall conduct any exit poll and publish or publicise by means of the print or electronic media or disseminate in any other manner, whatsoever, the result of any exit poll during such period, as may be notified by the Election Commission in this regard.”

It was further clarified that under Section 126(1)(b) of the R.P. Act, 1951, displaying any election matter including results of any opinion poll or any other poll survey, in any electronic media, would be prohibited during the period of 48 hours ending with the hours fixed for conclusion of poll in the respective polling areas in connection with General elections and Bye elections.

The ECI in a notification issued on 24 March, 2021 stated, “Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers under sub-Section (1) of Section 126A of the R.P. Act, 1951, the Election Commission, having regard to the provisions of sub-Section (2) of the said Section, hereby notifies the period between 7:00 A.M on 27 March, 2021 (Saturday) and 7.30 PM on 29^th April, 2021 (Thursday), as the period during which conducting any exit poll and publishing or publicizing by means of the print  or electronic media or dissemination in any other manner whatsoever, the result of any exit poll in connection with the aforesaid General Elections/ Bye-elections, shall be prohibited.”