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Last Updated:April 23, 2026, 18:01 IST
Tamil Nadu voting ends, but exit polls are barred nationwide until 6:30 PM on the final polling day, as ECI rules aim to prevent influencing voters in remaining phases.
People wait in queues before casting votes in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, at a polling station in Chennai, Thursday, April 23, 2026. (PTI Photo)
Voting has concluded in Tamil Nadu as part of the ongoing multi-phase Assembly elections across several states. With polling now complete in the state, attention has shifted to the release of exit poll results and the reasons behind the delay.
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.
In the current election cycle, while Tamil Nadu has completed voting, other states such as West Bengal are still set to go to polls in subsequent phases.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has enforced a strict ban on the conduct and publication of exit polls during the ongoing Assembly elections across four states and the Union Territory of Puducherry.
Why Are Exit Polls Banned?
According to the mandate, the exit polls for all participating states will only be released after the final phase of voting concludes nationwide.
As per ECI rules, exit polls cannot be conducted or disseminated from 7 am on April 9 until 6.30 pm on April 29.
The Election Commission has 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.
This means that despite voting ending in Tamil Nadu, voters and political observers will have to wait until the end of the entire election schedule before any exit poll trends become public.
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Location :
Chennai [Madras], India, India
First Published:
April 23, 2026, 18:01 IST
News india Polling Ends In Tamil Nadu: When Will Exit Poll Results Be Released?
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