The Election Commission of India has announced a ban on the conduct, publication, or publicising of exit polls from 7:00 am on April 19 until 6:30 pm on June 1. This restriction comes into effect as people will cast their votes for the Lok Sabha and four State Assembly polls.
In a notification issued on Thursday, the Election Commission clarified that displaying any election-related content, including the results of opinion polls or any other survey, on electronic media would be prohibited during the 48-hour period leading up to the conclusion of the polls. This measure is in accordance with the provisions of the Representation of the People Act.
The ban is imposed not only for the Lok Sabha elections but also the for the Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, and Sikkim. Additionally, bye-elections for 25 Assembly constituencies in 12 States are scheduled within this period.
The Election Commission’s decision aims to maintain the integrity of the electoral process and prevent the dissemination of potentially influencing information that could sway voters’ decisions.
