Provision for imprisonment, fine or both for violating the ban
Raipur. 20 November 2022
The Election Commission of India has banned exit polling and publication and telecast of its results till December 5, 06.30 pm, in view of the general elections to the Legislative Assemblies in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat and various bye-elections in various states of the country. A notification in this regard has been issued by the Election Commission of India. Voting for the Bhanupratappur assembly by-election in Chhattisgarh is to be held on December 5.
The Election Commission of India has banned the publication and broadcast of exit polls and its results under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. The Act specifies that no person shall conduct any exit poll survey and the result of any exit poll survey shall be published in print or electronic media during such period as may be notified by the Election Commission in this regard. shall not publish or publicize or disseminate through any other means whatsoever. In the case of a general election, this period may commence from the commencement of the hour fixed for the poll on the first day of poll and continue till half an hour after the close of the poll in all States and Union Territories.
In the case of a bye-election or several bye-elections held simultaneously, this period may start from the commencement of the hour fixed for the poll on the first day of poll and may continue till half an hour after the poll is over. Provided that in the case of several bye-elections being held simultaneously on different days, this period may commence from the commencement of the hour fixed for the poll on the first day of poll and continue up to half an hour after the last poll is over. Contravention of this restriction shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
The Commission had earlier notified the period from November 12, 8 AM to December 5, 5.30 PM, as the period in respect of the ongoing General Elections to the Legislative Assemblies of Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat Organizing and publishing or publicizing its result by print or electronic media or dissemination of the same in any other way was prohibited. In view of the various bye-elections being held in several states, the Commission has now notified the period of ban on exit polls and its results as the ban period up to 06.30 PM on December 5, superseding the notification issued earlier in this regard.
The Election Commission of India has also clarified that during the 48 hours ending at the time fixed for the conclusion of polling in the polling constituencies relating to the General Elections to the Legislative Assemblies of Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat and bye-elections in various States, no The display of election matter of any kind including the results of any opinion poll or any other polling survey shall be prohibited.
