Exit polls on Himachal, Gujarat elections only after Dec 14: EC official

Exit polls showing outcome of the Himachal polls cannot take place till both phases of Gujarat polls are completed

People will have to wait till the evening of December 14 to know the outcome of the exit polls on Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat assembly elections, a senior Election Commission functionary said on Thursday.

The official pointed to recent EC directives, orders and election laws to remind that exit polls can be telecast half-an-hour after the end of polling in all the phases and states.

While the single-phase assembly election in Himachal Pradesh will be held on November 9, the first phase of polls in Gujarat will take place on December 9. The second phase will be held on December 14.

But exit polls showing the outcome of the Himachal Pradesh polls cannot take place till both the phases of Gujarat polls are completed.

The poll panel may formally come out with a fresh direction on the issue in the coming days.

Existing law allows the EC to ban opinion polls 48 hours prior to voting.