Exit polls on March 9, not 8: EC

NEW DELHI: People will have to wait for one more day to know the outcome of exit polls as the Election Commission today postponed their telecast to March 9 evening after elections to one seat each in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand are over.

The last phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh and Manipur is on March 8. But following the demise of two candidates in the Alapur (UP) and the Karnaprayag (Uttarakhand) constituencies, the Commission had postponed elections there and fixed March 9 as the new date.

If candidates of recognised parties-- in this case the SP and the BSP-- die before or on polling day, the election is postponed to allow the party field a new person.

The Commission today made it clear that the exit polls can be telecast after 5.30 pm on March 9, 30 minutes after polling ends in the two constituencies.

According to election laws, exit polls can be telecast half-an-hour after the end of polling in all the phases and states.