EC bans all exit polls for 5 election-bound states from Nov 12 to Dec 7

The Election Commission has banned all exit polls for the five poll-bound states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram and Telangana from November 12 till December 7.

Also, as per Section 126(1)(b) of the Representation of the People 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 hour fixed for conclusion of poll in each of the phases", the Commission said in a release.

"The Election Commission of India, in exercise of the powers under sub-section(1) of Section 126A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 notified the period between 7 a.m. on November 12, 2018 and 5.30 p.m. on December 7, 2018 as the period during which conducting any exit poll and publishing or publicizing the result of exit poll by means of the print or electronic media or in any other manner shall be prohibited in the ongoing general elections," the order said.

While polling in Chhattisgarh is scheduled in two phases on November 12 and November 20, Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram would vote on November 28. Rajasthan and Telangana will go to vote on December 7.