Exit Polls Release Date: What Are The EC Rules And Ban Warning? Check West Bengal, Tamil Nadu Poll Prediction Dates

Exit Poll: West Bengal and Tamil Nadu on Thursday registered record voting percentage with former recording  92.35% voter turnout while the later recording  85.11% turnover. Tamil Nadu polled for 234 constituencies while as first phase of voting was held in West Bengal 152 constituencies. While voting went peacefully in TN, violence was reported across several constituencies in Mamamata Banerjee governed WB. Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from districts like Murshidabad, Dakshin Dinajpur, Asansol and Cooch Behar. 

West Bengal, Tamil Nadu Register Record Voting Percentage

Voting for assembly elections is being held in five states & UTs currently including Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. The second phase of West Bengal elections will be held on April 29. Results of all these assembly elections will be announced on May 4. 

“Highest ever percentage of polling in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu since Independence – ECI salutes each voter of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu,” chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee linked the high voter turnout to Trinamool Congress winning the elections. 

“Do you know why the polling is so high even after delisting of so many voters during the electoral roll revision? People see this as their battle to save democratic rights. If BJP wins it will order delimitation and enforce the NRC (National Register of Citizens)…From the votes that have been polled I can say we have already won. I can read people,” she said.

On the other hand, DMK connected the huge voter turnout to the revised electoral rolls that took place during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. The ruling part in Tamil Nadu said that higher voter percentage does not reflect the increase in participation. 

Exit Polls Release Date: What Are The Election Commission Rules – Ban, Warning Explained

Election Commission has banned the exit polls for the assembly elections  of five states including West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. According to ECI, exit polls can not be shared before 6:30 pm , April 29. 

According to ECI rules, publishing or broadcasting the exit polls before the polling ends violates the section 126A of the Representation of People Act, 1951. 

Any violation receives punishment including imprisonment of up to period of two years, or with a fine or both.

The rules have been formulated by ECI to prevent the influencing of voter behavior during the voting. 

Pollsters, psephologists and media houses can share the exit poll data only after the second phase of West Bengal election ends on April 29. 

The period during which exit polls are banned is also called as ‘Silence Period.’ Leading pollster, Axis My India, headed by Pradeep Gupta, recently released a statement saying, they will publish the data on the evening of April 29, after voting ends.

Amit Shah Hails Record Turnout In West Bengal

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday congratulated voters for the record-high turnout in Phase I of the West Bengal Assembly Elections and praised the Election Commission of India (ECI) and security forces for ensuring a peaceful polling process.

In an X post, the Union Minister also expressed gratitude towards the ECI and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) personnel for a “peaceful and secure” polling process on Thursday, while hinting towards the BJP’s victory, Amit Shah said that the voter turnout and peaceful polls indicate the “dawn of a new era of good governance in West Bengal.”

The Union Minister and BJP leader, Shah wrote, “I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the esteemed voters of West Bengal for shattering all records of participation in this grand festival of democracy through a historic turnout in the first phase of polling.”

Also Read: Who Is Winning West Bengal Elections? BJP Vs TMC Battle Intensifies After Record 92% Voting Percentage