Assembly Elections 2019: EC bans exit polls from 7 am to 6 pm on Oct 21

New Delhi, Oct 15: The Election Commission of India on Tuesday issued a notification for publishing or telecasting of exit polls for upcoming assembly and by-elections.

The poll panel reiterated that there would be ban on the exit polls from 7 AM to 6.30 PM on October 21 during the Vidhan Sabha elections in Haryana, Maharashtra and by-elections to 51 Assembly constituencies of 17 states.

In a detailed statement, the Election Commission said, "As per the provisions of Section 126A of The Representation of the People Act, 1951 (in short R.P. Act, 1951), there shall be restrictions on conduct of any exit poll and publication and dissemination of result of such exit polls during the period notified by the EC.''

Both Maharashtra and Haryana are currently governed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In the 2014 Assembly elections in Maharashtra, the BJP failed to get majority on its own but emerged as the single-largest party by winning 122 seats of the total 288. Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena came second with 63 seats. This year, BJP-Sena will contest the polls together.