Exit Poll Results 2026 Date and Time: When Will Projections Be Released for West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala and Puducherry Assembly Elections?
Exit poll results for West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala and Puducherry will be released only after 6:30 pm on April 29, once voting ends. The Election Commission has banned publication before this under Section 126A. Surveys will then provide early projections of voter trends, but official results will be declared only after counting.
Exit poll projections for the 2026 assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala and Puducherry will be released only after voting concludes on Wednesday, April 29. With polling entering its final phase in West Bengal, attention is now focused on the official timing when exit poll trends will become public.
Voting in the final phase ends on April 29, after which media organisations and survey agencies will release projections for all five regions together. These early estimates will offer a snapshot of voter sentiment but are not official results. West Bengal Elections 2026 Phase 2 Voting: 18.39% Turnout by 9 AM Across 142 Seats, Purba Bardhaman Leads at 20.86%.
Exit Poll Results 2026 Release Time: When Results Will Be Out
According to the Election Commission of India, exit polls cannot be published before the completion of voting across all phases. The Commission has imposed restrictions under Section 126A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
“The Election Commission under Section 126A of the RP Act 1951, has notified that the conduct of exit poll and dissemination of their results by means of print or electronic media is prohibited between 7:00 AM on 9 April 2026 (Thursday) and 6.30 PM on 29 April 2026 (Wednesday),” the poll panel said. Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026: TVK Chief Vijay To Meet All 234 Candidates on April 30 Ahead of Counting on May 4.
As per these rules, exit poll results for all five regions will be released only after 6:30 pm on April 29, once polling concludes.
States Covered in Exit Poll Release
Exit poll projections will cover the following regions:
- West Bengal
- Tamil Nadu
- Assam
- Kerala
- Puducherry
All five went to polls in multiple phases, with the final phase concluding on April 29.
Strict Election Commission Guidelines
The Election Commission has also cautioned media outlets and digital platforms against publishing or discussing any content that could influence voter behaviour during the restricted period.
This includes opinion polls or analyses that may “promote or prejudice the prospect of any particular party or candidate(s)”.
“Violation of Section 126A of the RP Act, 1951 is punishable with imprisonment up to a period of two years, or with fine or both,” the notification said.
How Exit Polls Are Conducted
Exit polls are conducted through structured surveys carried out outside polling stations. Voters are asked whom they voted for immediately after casting their ballot.
Survey agencies collect responses using standard questionnaires and ensure representation from both urban and rural regions. The data is then analysed to estimate vote shares and possible seat outcomes.
What Happens After April 29
Once voting ends, exit poll results will be released across television, digital, and print platforms after 6:30 pm.
These projections will provide an early indication of possible election outcomes across all five regions. However, the final and official results will be announced only after counting by the Election Commission.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 29, 2026 11:56 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).