Exit Polls Prohibited for Jubilee Hills Bye-Election, Announces District Election Officer
District Election Officer Sri R.V. Karnan, IAS has announced that the Election Commission of India has issued a notification prohibiting the conduct, publication, and publicity of Exit Polls for the 61–Jubilee Hills Assembly Constituency Bye-Election. The notification, issued under the number 576/EXIT/2025/SDR/Vol.I, is dated 13th October 2025.
The ban period is set to start from 7:00 AM on November 6, ending at 6:30 PM on November 11. During this time, the conduct, publication, or sharing of any Exit Poll results or predictions is strictly prohibited across all platforms. This includes, but is not limited to, TV, radio, newspapers, websites, YouTube, WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and other digital platforms.
Any violation of this directive can attract penal action under Section 126A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. As per this section, the offender could face imprisonment up to two years, a fine, or both. Additionally, Section 126(1)(b) of the Act prohibits the display of any election matter, including results of opinion polls or surveys, during the 48-hour period preceding the close of polling.
The District Election Officer has called upon all citizens, media houses, and political parties to follow these rules diligently. This is to ensure a free, fair, and transparent election process for the Jubilee Hills Assembly Constituency Bye-Election.
With the stringent regulations in place, the hope is that the election will be conducted smoothly, without any undue influence on the voters. The Election Commission’s notification is a clear reminder that the sanctity of the electoral process is to be maintained at all costs.
