The Election Commission has announced a ban on conducting, publishing, or publicizing exit polls for the Delhi Election 2025 until 6:30 PM on February 5, the day of voting. This measure aims to uphold the integrity of the electoral process amid growing concerns over the reliability of exit poll predictions.
The results of the Delhi Elections will be declared on February 8.
“In exercise of the powers under sub-Section (1) of Section 126A of the RP Act, 1951, and considering the provisions of Sub-Section (2) of the same section, the Election Commission hereby notifies the period between 7:00 AM and 6:30 PM on February 5, 2025 (Wednesday) as the duration during which conducting, publishing, or publicizing exit polls through print, electronic media, or any other means will be prohibited,” stated an official notice issued by the poll panel on February 3.
The Election Commission has imposed a ban on conducting, publishing, or publicizing exit polls for the Delhi Election 2025 until 6:30 PM on February 5, the day of voting. This move is aimed at maintaining the integrity of the electoral process amid concerns over the reliability of exit poll predictions. The results of the Delhi Elections will be announced on February 8.
According to Section 126A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (RP Act, 1951), “no person shall conduct any exit poll and publish or publicize by means of 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.”
What Are Exit Polls?
Exit polls are surveys conducted by agencies based on voter feedback collected immediately after people have cast their votes. While the primary goal of exit polls is to gauge public sentiment ahead of the official results, their accuracy has often been questioned.
Despite generating significant public interest, exit polls have frequently missed the mark in recent elections. For instance, during the Haryana Assembly elections last year, most exit polls predicted a victory for the Congress party. However, the actual results saw the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) securing the win, highlighting the gap between predictions and outcomes.
The Election Commission has further clarified that, under Section 126(1)(b) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the display of any election-related content, including the results of opinion polls or other survey polls, on electronic media will be prohibited during the 48-hour period leading up to the conclusion of voting for the ongoing general and bye-elections.
In addition to the Delhi Assembly elections, February 5 will also see by-elections for the Erode (East) assembly constituency in Tamil Nadu and the Milkipur assembly seat in Uttar Pradesh.
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