Opinion poll results banned: Chief Electoral Officer

In the recent press release issued by the Chief electoral officer Satyabrata Sahoo said:

"The poll for the General Elections to Lok Sabha and By-elections to Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, 2019 will be held on 18.04.2019 from 7.00 A.M. to 6.00 P.M. In 32 Madurai Parliamentary Constituency, the hours of poll is from 7.00 A.M. to 8.00 P.M.

The following restrictions will apply to publication and dissemination of results of Opinion poll / Exit poll during the above General Elections and bye-elections :-

i) The Election Commission of India hereby notifies the period between 7.00 A.M. on 11th April, 2019 (Thursday) and 6.30 PM on 19th May, 2019 (Sunday) as the period during which conducting any exit poll and publishing or publicizing 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 current General Elections to Lok Sabha and Bye-elections to Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, 2019, shall be prohibited.

ii) The Election Commission of India has further clarified that 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 the respective polling areas in connection with aforesaid General Elections and bye-elections.