Delhi Election 2025: EC bans exit polls till 6.30 pm on February 5 voting day

Delhi Elections 2025: The Election Commission has prohibited the release of exit polls till 6.30 pm on February 5, the day of voting. The results of Delhi Elections will be announced on February 8.

“In exercise of the powers under sub-Section (1) of Section 126A of the RP Act, 1951, the Election Commission, having regard to the provisions of Sub-Section (2) of the said Section, hereby notifies the period between 7.00 A.M. to 6.30 P.M. on 05.02.2025 (Wednesday) as the period during which conducting and publishing or publicising exit poll by means of the print or electronic media or dissemination in any other manner whatsoever, the result of any exit poll in connection with the aforesaid General and bye elections, shall be prohibited,” said a notice by poll panel on Monday, February 3.

Section 126A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951(RP Act,1951) specifies that “no person shall conduct any exit poll and publish or publicise by means of the print or electronic media or disseminate in any other manner, whatsoever, the result of any exit poll during such period, as may be notified by the Election Commission in this regard.”

What are Exit Polls?

The exit poll predictions are based on voter feedback collected by survey agencies after the polling. While the idea behind the exit polls is to reflect public sentiment well before the actual results are announced, their accuracy has faced scrutiny in the past.

The exit poll results generate a lot of interest before the actual result day, their inaccuracy in the recent elections notwithstanding. In the past, exit poll predictions turned out way too off the mark when the actual results were declared. The recent example was Haryana assembly elections last year. All exit polls had predicted a victory for Congress party but the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won the elections.

"It is further clarified that under Section 126( 1)(b) of the R.P. Act, 1951, displaying any election matter including results of any opinion poll or any other poll survey, in any electronic media, would be prohibited during the period of 48 hours ending with the hours fixed for the conclusion of the poll in connection with the aforesaid general and bye elections," the poll panel said. Apart from Delhi Assembly elections, the bypolls for the Milkipur assembly seat in Uttar Pradesh and Erode (East) assembly seat in Tamil Nadu are also scheduled for February 5.