NEW DELHI: Anticipating record viewership on May 16, the day the 2014 Lok Sabha poll results are to be declared, popular news channels have jacked up their advertising rates. For a 10-second slot, rates have shot up from around Rs 10,000 to up to Rs 2 lakh.

So far this year, when it comes to ad rates , IPL 7 has hogged the limelight with advertisers coughing up nearly Rs 5 lakh for a 10-second slot on television. The judgment day of Indian politics comes a close second.

"I am not surprised," says Navin Khemka, managing partner of Zenith Optimedia , a Gurgaon-based media-buying agency.

"Ad rates for May 16 have shot through the roof as news channels are expecting the whole country to tune in for poll results."

Brands from segments such as, insurance, plywood, veneers, two-wheelers and male innerwear will be looking to make the most of the excitement that poll results will bring to the table on D-day, says Khemka. Despite popular celebrities like Gul Panag hopping onto the political bandwagon, it seems most Indian women like staying away from politics. Or at least that's what advertisers believe.

Various media buyers said that mostly male-centric brands are expected to rule the airwaves during the period. "Historically, it has been noticed that brands that cater to men are the biggest advertisers during elections. For poll results too, it's not a very different story," says Hema Malik, VP at Lodestar UM.

Says Khemka, "Whether it's the public sector or private, the Indian workforce is still predominantly male. Election results are huge conversation starters for them since they feel it will affect them more than women. As more and more women enter the workforce, we will see a gradual shift in advertising patterns."

Interestingly, when it comes to ad rates during elections this time, media buyers say English news channels have made a lot of headway when compared with their regional counterparts. "There is less clutter in the English news channel space," says Khemka. "And we have seen the emergence of a few big personalities."

