New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday (June 15) declared the dates for the biennial elections to the Bihar Legislative Council and bye polls to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council.


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The elections in both the States will take place on July 6, 2020.


The election process in Bihar was earlier deferred on April 3 considering the prevailing unforeseen situation of public health emergency due to COVID-19.


In Bihar, the election will take place for the nine seats that expired on May 6, 2020, while in Andhra Pradesh, for a seat that was vacated by Dokka Manikya Vara Prasad, who tendered his resignation on March 29, 2020. He also quit the Telugu Desam Party to join YSR Congress.


The election in Bihar has been scheduled for the seats that got vacant after the membership of Ashok Choudhary, Krishan Kumar Singh, Prashant Kumar Shahi, Sanjay Prakash, Satish Kumar, Radha Mohan Sharma, Sonelal Mehta, Md Haroon Rashid and Hira Prasad Vind expired.


The Commission decided to conduct elections in both the States on July 6 between 9 AM and 4 PM. The counting of votes will be done on the same day at 5 PM and the Commission aims to complete the process by July 8.


The ECI's official statement read that adequate measures for close monitoring of the election process by appointing observers shall be taken to ensure a free and fair election.


The ECI has also directed the Chief Secretaries of Bihar and Andhra Pradesh to depute a senior officer to ensure that the instructions regarding COVID-19 containment measures are followed while making arrangements for conducting the elections.