Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: Although eyes are now set on the counting day of the ongoing polls, the Election Commissioner HS Bramha on Friday said that exit polls can now be aired after May 12, the last day of polling.

Addressing a press conference here, HS Brahma said, "Exit polls are banned only till May 12, the last day of polling."

Earlier, Brahma had said that ban is till May 16.

"It (exit polls) can be telecast on Monday after 6:30 pm," he added.

"Exit poll is prohibited till half an hour after closing of the poll on May 12 (the last day of the nine-phased polling)," the Election Commission said in a statement, PTI reported.

"In a multi-phased election, the ban begins on the hour the poll is fixed and ends half an hour after the poll ends in the last phase," said Dhirendra Ojha, Director in the EC.

Ojha further said, "In a multi-phased election, the ban begins on the hour the poll is fixed and ends half an hour after the poll ends in the last phase."

The EC`s clarification came soon after Election Commissioner H S Brahma said the exit polls cannot be telecast before May 16.

"You are not supposed to conduct exit polls before May 16th-- the counting day... We will not allow you to open your mouth before 16th evening," he said during an interaction with Indian Women Press Corps here.

"On the evening of 16th you can openly telecast the exit polls... Exit poll is only after counting. What is the hurry? Hardly, there are 150 hours (between May 12 and May 16)," he added.

In the backdrop of almost all parties violation the model code of conduct during the election rallies in past few months, Brahma added, “Major challenge faced in 2014 polls was implementation of model code.”

The Election Commissioner further sought a report from the Uttar Pradesh poll authorities on controversial remarks made by Mulayam Singh Yadav, Ajit Singh and Azam Khan.

HS Brahma also dismissed the Gujarat police report of no threat to Modi rally.

Narendra Modi, who is contesting from Varanasi, was to address the rally in Benia Bagh area of the city yesterday but the district authorities denied permission citing security reasons.