ECI releases election schedule for two vacant MLC seats under MLA quota

Amaravati: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday released the schedule for filing up the two vacant MLC seats under the MLA quota.

Following the disqualification of C Ramachandraiah and the resignation of Shaik Mohammad Iqbal, the two MLC seats fell vacant. Polling will be held on July 12 and the results will be declared on the same day.

The notification would be released on June 25 and the last date for the nominations is July 2. Scrutiny of the nominations will be done on July 4. The last date for withdrawal of the nominations of the candidates is July 5.

Ramachandraiah hails from the erstwhile Kadapa district in AP. He was elected as an MLC by the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) in 2021 under the MLA quota. Despite the fact that his term ends in 2027, he left the ruling YSRCP in January to join the opposition TDP.

The YSRCP had moved a disqualification petition against Ramachandraiah. Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council chairman Koye Moshenu Raju summoned Ramachandraiah and took his explanation. After going through his version, he was disqualified by the MLC.

Mohammad Iqbal who took voluntary retirement as an IPS officer joined the YSRCP and unsuccessfully contested the 2019 Assembly elections against Nandamuri Balakrishna of the TDP from the Hindupur constituency. Later, the YSRCP nominated him to the Legislative Council under the MLA quota.

However, Iqbal resigned from the YSRCP and his MLC post before the 2024 Assembly elections and joined the TDP.