Assembly Elections 2026: EC bans exit polls from April 9 to April 29

Election Commission of India has drawn a firm line ahead of multiple state polls this month. The Election Commission has said exit polls cannot be conducted or shared from 7 am on April 9 till 6.30 pm on April 29, covering the entire voting period across five assembly elections. It has warned that any violation could invite legal action, including jail time or fines.

EC draws a strict boundary on exit polls

The Commission made it clear that conducting or broadcasting exit polls during this window will break the law. It pointed to Section 126A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and said the offence is “punishable with imprisonment up to a period of two years, or with fine or both”.

This restriction will stay in place as voting rolls out in phases across different states.

Assembly Elections 2026 dates in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Puducherry and Assam

Kerala, Assam and Puducherry will go to polls on April 9. Tamil Nadu will vote on April 23. West Bengal will have a two-phase election on April 23 and April 29.

Because polling is spread out, the ban on exit polls will remain active until the last vote is cast.

What the silence period means

The Commission has also flagged the ‘silence period’, a 48-hour window before polling ends in a constituency. During this time, most forms of campaigning must stop.

In Kerala and Puducherry, this period will begin at 6 pm on Tuesday. In Assam, it will start an hour earlier at 5 pm.

Only limited door-to-door outreach by a small group of party workers or the candidate is allowed. Public rallies, speeches and other campaign activities are not permitted.

While the rules are clear on paper, enforcing them online remains tricky. With social media platforms and messaging apps, content can spread quickly, often slipping past traditional monitoring systems.

Polling usually runs from 7 am to 6 pm, though timings may change depending on terrain and security conditions in different regions.

(Inputs from PTI)