New Delhi, Feb 19 (IANS): Biennial polls to five seats in the Andhra Pradesh legislative council will be held on March 15.

Bypolls to one seat in the state legislative council, necessitated after the death of sitting MLC Challa Ramakrishna Reddy, will also be held on the same day.

The Election Commission of India said that the biennial elections are being held as four members of the Andhra Pradesh legislative council are retiring on March 29 while one seat is lying vacant following the resignation of a member on July 1 last year.

Gundumala Thippe Swamy, Gummidi Sandhya Rani, Vattikuti Veera Venkanna Chowdary and Shaik Mohammed Iqbal are retiring on March 29, while Subhaschandra Bose Pilli had resigned last year.

According to the Election Commission, the notification for the biennial elections as well as byepolls will be issued on February 25.

"Last date of filling of nomination will be March 4 and the last date of withdrawal of nomination will be March 8. The counting of votes will take place soon after the polling concludes on March 15," said the Election Commission.

The poll panel also directed that every person shall wear face masks during all election related activities.

"Thermal scanning of all persons shall be carried out, sanitisers shall be made available at all locations and social distancing shall be maintained as per the extant Covid guidelines of the state government and the Ministry of Home Affairs," the EC said.