Exit polls 2026: When and where to watch predictions for Assembly election results live

VOting for the 142 seats in the back and net stage of the w Bengal gathering elections will conclude today, shifting voters' focus on the exit poll predicitions for these elections. While Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam, and Puducherry voted earlier this month, Election Commission (EC) guidelines strictly prohibited the release of any predictions until the final vote was recorded in Bengal. Starting at 6:30 PM, a flurry of projections will offer the first glimpse into the potential political landscape of these five regions before the official counting begins on May 4.What are exit polls?Exit polls are projections made by survey agencies based on voter feedback collected immediately after people cast their ballots. Their purpose is to estimate voting patterns and provide an early indication of possible election outcomes.Respondents are typically asked which party they voted for, along with demographic details such as age, gender, and community. This helps analysts identify broader voting trends and shifts in public sentiment.These early estimates aim to gauge public sentiment ahead of the official results, though their accuracy has often been debated and scrutinised in previous elections.When will exit poll predictions be released?Exit poll predictions for the ongoing election cycle will be released only after the official restriction period ends, as per EC guidelines.The Election Commission has clearly defined a “silence period” during which no voter survey results can be published or broadcast. According to the rules, media organisations are barred from conducting or releasing exit polls from 7:00 am on April 9 to 6:30 pm on April 29.This means exit poll results for all five regions involved in the current election cycle can only be published after 6:30 pm on April 29.Authorities have also cautioned that any violation of this rule is a punishable offence, carrying imprisonment of up to two years, a fine, or both. Where to watch exit polls liveOnce the restriction lifts, exit poll results will be widely available across multiple platforms. Viewers can track updates through:Television news channels.Official websites of polling agencies.Verified social media handles of survey organisations.Major polling agencies expected to release projections include Axis My India, CVoter, Jan Ki Baat, IPSOS, and Today’s Chanakya.You can also follow exit poll projections on the Hindustan Times website.Hindustan Times will provide live coverage, in-depth analysis, and constituency-wise projections on its dedicated election pages, including coverage for West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry elections.How exit polls are conductedExit polls rely on structured field surveys carried out outside polling stations. Trained teams collect responses using close-ended questionnaires to ensure consistency and clarity.Sampling is done across urban and rural regions to capture a representative voter base. Once data is collected, analysts process the information to identify patterns and project likely seat shares for different parties or alliances.