Silence Period for Assam Elections Begins April 7: EC Issues Guidelines

The Election Commission announced that the silence period for the Assam elections will run from 5:00 pm on April 7 to 5:00 pm on April 9.

During this 48-hour period, Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 prohibits broadcasting or displaying any election-related content through television, radio, or similar media in polling areas. This includes opinion polls.

Media channels have been instructed to strictly avoid airing any election material during this time.

Additionally, under Section 126A, exit polls and their publication are banned from 7:00 am on April 9 to 6:30 pm on April 29. Violations can lead to up to two years of imprisonment, a fine, or both.

The Commission also urged media houses to follow these rules in both letter and spirit.

Earlier, a review meeting was held with 282 Central Observers and Chief Electoral Officers of Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry. For Assam alone, 136 observers have been deployed, including general, police, and expenditure observers.