The counting of votes will be done on May 25, Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalswami told a press conference in New Delhi announcing the election schedule.

While 89 constituencies will go to polls on May 10, 69 constituencies will go to polls in the second phase and the remaining 66 seats in the 224-member house will witness the electoral exercise in the last phase.

The model code of conduct will come into force immediately, Gopalswami said.

The issue of notification for the first phase of polls will be April 16 and the last date of filing of nominations will be April 23. Scrutiny will be done the next day and last date of withdrawal will be April 26.

For the second phase, nominations will begin on April 22 and the last date for the purpose will be April 29 followed by scrutiny the next day. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is May 2.

Nominations in the final phase will begin on April 26 and the last date for nominations will be May three. Scrutiny will take place on May five and the last date for withdrawal is May 7.

A total of 4,00,77,666 electors would be eligible to vote.

Gopalaswamy said that 62 per ent of the electors have been provided with Electors Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) coverage and the campaign would be on to increase the coverage.

The polling would be conducted through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), he said adding that Central Police Forces and State Armed Police drawn from other States would be deployed during the ensuing polls.

"The Commission will be monitoring the ground situation closely and will take appropriate measures to ensure peaceful, free and fair polls in the state," the CEC said.

In order to facilitate conduct of poll, the Commission has decided to appoint additional polling personnel for the booths, where the number of electors 1,200, he said.

The Model Code of Conduct comes into effect immediately and would be apply to the entire state, Gopalaswamy said.

Asked about bypolls in Andhra Pradesh following resignation of seats by TRS, he said "we have to conduct elections and we will conduct them".