Overview
- The Commission set Assam’s silence from 5 p.m. on April 7 to 5 p.m. on April 9, and set Kerala and Puducherry from 6 p.m. on April 7 to 6 p.m. on April 9.
- The same 48-hour window applies to April 9 bypolls in Goa, Karnataka, Nagaland and Tripura, with Tamil Nadu starting the blackout on April 21 and West Bengal observing separate blackouts before its April 23 and April 29 phases.
- Exit polls are banned nationwide from 7:00 a.m. on April 9 until 6:30 p.m. on April 29 under Section 126A, with violations punishable by up to two years in jail or a fine.
- The 48-hour rule under Section 126(1)(b) bars display of election matter in polling areas before voting ends, and broadcasters were told not to air opinion polls or panel remarks that could sway voters.
- The Commission said it will publish results on May 4, which puts newsrooms and parties on a fixed timetable across the staggered polls.