New Delhi, April 19 (IANS): Bypolls to the Tura parliamentary constituency, necessitated by death of sitting member and former Lok Sabha speaker P.A. Sangma, and nine assembly constituencies in seven states will be held May 16, the Election Commission announced on Tuesday.

The assembly constituencies are Kanubari (Arunachal Pradesh), Anantnag (Jammu and Kashmir), represented by late chief minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, Godda and Panki (Jharkhand), Talala (Gujarat), Jangipur and Bilari (Uttar Pradesh), Ghoradongari (Madhya Pradesh) and Palair (Telengana).

The bypolls will coincide with polling in the assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry, while votes will be counted on May 19, along with when counting in all five assembly polls (including Assam and West Bengal).

The commission has decided to use EVMs in the bye-elections. 

"The model code of conduct shall come into force with immediate effect in the districts in which the whole or any part of the parliamentary constituency/assembly constituencies going for bye-elections is included.

"The model code of conduct shall be applicable to all candidates, political parties and the state governments concerned. It shall also be applicable to the union government for the states concerned," said a Election Commission statement.