Exit Poll 2026: The second and final phase of the West Bengal election is being held today. Polling concluded in Kerala, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu earlier this month.
With the final phase of the West Bengal elections for 142 seats today, the current election cycle will come to an end. And as soon as the polling ends, pollsters will start releasing exit poll results for all four states and one Union Territory that voted in this election cycle.
Exit polls are predictions made by different pollsters shortly after voting ends on poll day.
The predictions are based on voter feedback collected by survey agencies after the polling. While the idea behind exit polls is to accurately reflect public sentiment before the official results are announced, their accuracy has come under scrutiny in the past.
What exit polls predicted for Bengal in 2021?
In 2021, for example, exit polls had predicted a close contest between the TMC and the BJP in West Bengal. The poll of polls predicted that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress would win 156 of the state's 292 seats that went to polls and that the BJP would score a strong 121 seats.
But eventually, the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC won the election with a landslide, winning 215 seats out of the 292 polled. The BJP won 77 seats, emerging as the principal opposition party in the West Bengal assembly for the first time.
When will exit polls be released today?
The Election Commission of India has imposed a ban on exit polls till the last vote is cast today in Bengal. Therefore, the first exit poll results will be released after 6.30 pm today.
"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 in its notification on 2 April.
The poll panel also warned broadcasters and digital platforms against airing any content that could influence voters during this period. This includes opinion polls or discussions that may “promote or prejudice the prospect of any particular party or candidate(s)”.
The idea behind exit polls is to accurately reflect public sentiment before the official results are announced.
“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 Election Commission notification said.
Different pollsters will release their exit poll numbers independently and on different news channels after 6.30 pm. Pradeep Gupta's Axis My India, for example, will share results on NDTV.
