West Bengal recorded a strong voter turnout of 89.93% till 5 pm in the first phase of Assembly elections on Thursday (April 23), according to the Election Commission of India (ECI). Voting took place across 152 constituencies out of the state's total 294 seats.
Polling began at 7 am and concluded by evening, drawing significant participation from voters across districts.
With the first phase now complete, focus has shifted to when exit poll data will be made public.
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Why exit poll results are on hold
Despite polling ending in parts of the country, exit poll findings will not be released immediately. According to Election Commission of India (ECI) guidelines, exit poll data cannot be published or broadcast until all phases of voting across the country are completed.
This restriction is aimed at ensuring that early projections do not influence voter behaviour in states where polling is still underway.
The Election Commission has imposed a blanket restriction covering Assembly elections in four states and the Union Territory of Puducherry.
Clear timeline for exit poll ban
As per the notified schedule, the restriction period is clearly defined. As per ECI rules, exit polls cannot be conducted or disseminated from 7 am on April 9 until 6.30 pm on April 29.
This means that even in states where voting has already concluded, exit poll trends will remain under wraps until the final phase of polling ends nationwide.
Strict penalties for violations
The Election Commission has warned that any breach of these rules will invite legal action. It further warned that any violation of this directive will attract penal action under Section 126A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. It added that conducting or publishing exit polls during the restricted period is punishable with imprisonment of up to two years, a fine, or both.
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For now, voters and political observers will have to wait until the full election cycle concludes before any projections or trends are officially released.
