India has decided to ban publication and dissemination of exit polls till the last day of parliamentary and state assembly elections.

A proposal to this effect was taken at a meeting of the cabinet presided by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday.

"The restriction on telecast of exit polls would enable the people to exercise their right to vote without being influenced by the projection of telecast after one phase of voting is over and other phases of voting are yet to be completed", Finance Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram told reporters.

While Lok Sabha polls are due by May next year, legislatures in six Indian states, including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi, are to go to poll by this year.

A bill to amend the Representation of People Act of 1951 for the curb on exit polls would be introduced in Parliament in its winter session later this month.