New Delhi: The Election Commission on Sunday advanced the date of the counting of votes for the Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim Assembly polls to June 2 from June 4. The EC announced earlier that the votes polled in the two Assembly elections were to be counted on June 4, along with Lok Sabha poll votes. But, as the term of the two Assemblies is ending on June 2, the date has been advanced, the EC said. "There shall be no change in respect of schedule for Parliamentary constituencies of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim," it noted. Assembly polls are also being held in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, along with parliamentary elections.

The Election Commission on Saturday announced that Sikkim will vote in the Lok Sabha polls and the Assembly elections being held simultaneously on April 19. The Himalayan state has only one Lok Sabha seat and a 32-member Assembly. The notification for the elections will be issued on March 20, following which the process for filing nominations will begin.

The last date for submitting nomination papers is March 27, while those will be scrutinised on March 28. The last date for the withdrawal of nominations is March 30, the EC said.