Amaravati, Jun 18 (IANS): By-election for two seats of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council under MLAs quota will be held on July 12, announced the Election Commission on Tuesday.

The by-election will be held to fill the vacancies caused by the disqualification of C. Ramchandraiah and the resignation of Shaik Mohammed Iqbal.

Ramchandraiah, who was elected as MLC under the MLAs quota on YSR Congress Party ticket in 2021, was disqualified in March this year after he defected to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).

Iqbal resigned as MLC and also quit YSRCP to join TDP in April. The term of both the MLCs was up to March 29, 2027.

The Election Commission will issue a notification for the by-election on June 25. Nominations will be received up to July 2 while the scrutiny of nominations will be taken up on July 3.

Last date for withdrawal of candidatures will be July 5. Polling will be held on July 12 while counting of votes will be taken up the same day.

Given the strength of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the 175-member Assembly, it is sure to win both the seats.

In the recent Assembly elections, NDA won 164 seats. The TDP alone bagged 135 seats. Its allies Jana Sena Party (JSP) and BJP won 21 and eight seats respectively.

Legislative Council Chairman Koye Moshenu Raju in March 2024, disqualified YSRCP rebel MLCs Vamsi Krishna Yadav and C. Ramachandraiah after the then ruling party sought their disqualification for defecting to JSP and TDP respectively.

While Ramachandraiah was elected as MLC under the MLAs quota, Vamsi was elected under the local bodies quota.

The by-election to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Vamsi is likely to be announced later.