EC bans Opinion and Exit polls ahead of Oct. 13 State Assembly polls

Election Commission of IndiaNew Delhi, Oct. 10 : Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday prohibited dissemination of results of opinion and exit polls related to State Assembly elections to be held in Maharashtra, Haryana and Arunachal Pradesh on Tuesday (Oct. 13).

The ban period comes into effect from Sunday (Oct. 11) three o’clock in the afternoon and will last till the end of polling on Tuesday (Oct. 13) at five o’clock in the evening, the Election Commission stated on Saturday in a official release.

The EC has stated that as per the Supreme Court guidelines, in case of a single phase election, result of opinion and exit polls carried out at any time, could not be published, publicised or disseminated in any manner during the period of 48 hours ending with the hour fixed for conclusion of poll.

The hour fixed for conclusion of poll in Arunachal Pradesh and in some constituencies of Maharashtra is 3 p. m. whereas in Haryana, the hour fixed for conclusion of poll is 5 p. m., the release stated.

The poll campaigning for over month-long exercise concludes on Sunday. (ANI)