| MUMBAI:
The Election Commission (EC) has banned the circulation of opinion polls and exit
polls by both the print and the electronic media. According
to the guidelines issued by EC on 17 February, results of opinion/exit polls carried
out at any time, cannot be published in any manner during the poll period starting
from 48 hours before the hour fixed for conclusion of polling in the first phase
of elections till the conclusion of polling in the last phase of election. The
period referred to in the guidelines started from 3 PM yesterday (14 April) as
the hour fixed for conclusion of polls in some of the constituencies in the first
phase of election on 16 April is 3 PM. This will continue till the conclusion
of poll in the fifth phase of election. The
ban extends to both government and private-owned electronic media that covers
radio and television. Satellite, terrestrial, cable channels and DTH are included
in the ban. Also, the results of opinion polls can't be published in magazines,
newspapers or passed on as pamphlets or posters. | 
