Shillong, Feb, 07: Whereas, the schedules for the General Elections to the Legislative Assemblies of Meghalaya, Nagaland & Tripura have been announced by the Commission vide Press Note No. ECIIPN/1/2023 dated 19th January, 2023 and bye elections.
To Ol-Lumla(ST) Assembly Constituency of Arunachal Pradesh, 23-Ramgarh Assembly Constituency of Jharkhand, 98-Erode(East) Assembly Constituency of Tamil Nadu, 60-Sagardighi Assembly Constituency of West Bengal and 215-Kasba Peth and 205-Chinchwad Assembly Constituencies of Maharashtra have been announced by the Press Note No. ECI/PN/2/2023 dated 18th January,2023.
Whereas, Section 126A of The Representation of the People Act, 1951(in short R.P. Act, 1951) specifies that “(I) 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. (2) For the purposes of sub-section (1), the Flection Commission shall, by a general order, notify the date and time having due regard.
Namely: – (a) in case of a general election, the period may commence from the beginning of the hours fixed for poll on the first day of poll and continue till hall an hour after closing of the poll in all the Stales and Union territories: (b) In case ol a bye-election or a number o] bye-elections held together, the period may commence from the beginning of the hours fixed for poll on and from the first day of poll and continue till half an hour after closing of the poll.
Provided that in case of a number of bye-elections held together on different days, the period may commence from the beginning of the hours fixed for poll on the first day of poll and continue till half an hour after closing of the last poll. (3) Any person who contravenes the provisions of this section shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with fine or with both.
” 3. Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers under sub-Section (1) of Section 126A of the R.P. Act, 1951, the Election Commission, having regard to the provisions of Sub-Section (2) of the said Section, hereby notifies the period between 7:00A.M on 16th February, 2023 (Thursday) and 7.00 PM on 27th February, 2023 (Monday) as the period during which conducting and publishing or publicizing 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 Elections and bye elections, shall be prohibited. -2- 4.
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.
