ECI Bans Exit Polls for Haryana, J&K Elections from September 18 to October 5

Ahead of the legislative assembly elections in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir, the Election Commission of India (ECI) issued a notification regarding the prohibition of exit poll publications during the election period. In a notice dated September 3, the ECI declared that the publication of exit polls in any form, whether via print, electronic media, or any other means, will be banned from 7 am on Wednesday, September 18, until 6:30 pm on Saturday, October 5.

The notification specifically stated: “The period between 7:00 A.M. on 18.09.2024 (Wednesday) and 6:30 P.M. on 05.10.2024 (Saturday), 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 election, shall be prohibited.”

Additionally, the notice mentioned that no election-related material, including opinion polls or other survey results, can be displayed in electronic media during the 48 hours leading up to the end of voting.

Haryana’s 90-member legislative assembly will hold elections on October 5, with nominations closing on September 12. Jammu and Kashmir also has 90 assembly constituencies, with 7 seats reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and 9 for Scheduled Tribes (STs).

Jammu and Kashmir’s elections, the first since the abrogation of Article 370, will take place in three phases: September 18, 25, and October 1. Haryana’s polling date was recently revised to October 5, and the vote counting for both regions has been moved from October 4 to October 8.