The Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday reiterated a complete ban on exit polls during the upcoming Assembly elections and bypolls.

The ban will be effective “from 7 am to 6.30 pm on October 21” when Haryana and Maharashtra goes to polls. Bypolls to 51 Assembly constituencies in 17 states will also be held on the same day, apart from the two parliamentary constituencies of Satara in Maharashtra and Samastipur in Bihar. Ban on exit poll is affective on these elections as well, said the EC.

Sheyphali Sharan, official spokesperson of the EC tweeted,  “General Elections to the LAs of Haryana & Maharashtra and bye elections to 51 Assembly Constituencies of 17 States &23-Samastipur (SC) PC in Bihar & 45-Satara PC in Maharashtra to be held simultaneously – Ban on EXIT POLL from 7am to 6.30 pm on 21st October.”

General Elections to the LAs of Haryana & Maharashtra and bye elections to 51 Assembly Constituencies of 17 States &23-Samastipur (SC) PC in Bihar & 45-Satara PC in Maharashtra to be held simultaneously – Ban on EXIT POLL from 7am to 630pm on 21st October https://t.co/4doTp5EjZY

— Sheyphali Sharan (@SpokespersonECI) October 15, 2019

In a detailed statement, the Election Commission said, “And as per the provisions of Section 126A of The Representation of the People Act, 1951 (in short R.P. Act, 1951), there shall be restrictions on conduct of any exit poll and publication and dissemination of result of such exit polls during the period notified by the EC.”

Sharan, in another tweet said, “Also Displaying any election matter including results of any opinion poll or any other poll survey, in any electronic media, would b prohibited during the period of 48 hrs ending with the hours fixed for conclusion of poll in the respective polling areas.”

Also Displaying any election matter including results of any opinion poll or any other poll survey, in any electronic media, would b prohibited during the period of 48hrs ending with the hours fixed for conclusion of poll in the respective polling areas

— Sheyphali Sharan (@SpokespersonECI) October 15, 2019

Earlier, on September 21, the EC announced that the Assembly elections will be held in Haryana and Maharashtra in a single phase on October 21. Counting of votes will take place on October 24 and the results will be out on the same day.

CEC Sunil Arora further announced that by-elections to 64 constituencies across Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, MP, Meghalaya, Odisha, Puducherry, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh will also be held on October 21. Counting will be conducted on October 24.