New Delhi (PTI): Karnataka will have three-phased assembly elections on May 10, 16 and 22 that will require extension of the President's rule by a short spell.

Counting of votes in the elections to the 224-member House would take place on May 25, Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswamy said at a press conference announcing the election schedule for the state which will be first to have polls after the delimitation exercise in the country.

Extension of President's rule, which expires on May 19, will become necessary, he said in reply to a question. The assembly was dissolved on November 28 last year, eight days after President's rule was imposed following political instability. The new assembly has to be constituted before May 28.

Parliament, which is in recess, is expected to take up the extension of President's rule when it resumes the Budget session later this month.

The notification for the first phase of polls for 89 constituencies will be issued on April 16. The last date for filing nominations would be on April 23 and the last date for scrutiny of nominations would take place the next day. Last date for withdrawal of candidatures would be on April 26.

Notifications for the second phase of polls for 66 seats would be issued on April 22. The last date for filing nominations, scrutiny and withdrawal would take place on April 29, 30 and May two respectively.

Notifications for the third phase of polling for 69 seats would be issued on April 26 and the last date for filing candidatures, scrutiny and withdrawal would take place on May three, five and seven respectively.

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".

To a question whether the violence in Karnataka following the Hogenakkal issue would affect polls, he said that the commission would keep a close watch on the situation.