By-polls in Delhi, Goa and Andhra on August 23 (Lead)

New Delhi July 27 (IANS) By-elections to one vacant assembly seat in Delhi as also two in Goa and one in Andhra Pradesh will be held on August 23 the Election Commission announced on Thursday.

Apart from Delhi s Bawana constituency polls will be held in Goa s Valopi and Panaji and Nandyal in Andhra Pradesh.

Valopi had fallen vacant due to resignation of Congress lawmaker Vishawajit Rane and Bawana seat due to resignation of Aam Aadmi Party legislator Ved Prakash. Both joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Panaji seat is likely to be contested by Goa Chief Minister Manohar Pannikar who resiogned as Defence Minister to again assume charge as the head of the government in the state after the assembly elections had thrown a fractured verdict.

Nandyal seat had fallen vacant due to death of the sitting Telugu Desam Party legislator.

The counting of votes on the four seats will be held on August 28.

The last date of nomination is August 5 scrutiny of nomination will be done on August 7 and last date of withdrawal of candidates is August 9.

The Election Commission said that electronic voting machines and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPATs) will be used in the bye-elections in all the polling stations.

--IANS
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