Srinagar: National Conference President and party candidate Farooq Abdullah on Saturday was leading by nearly 8,000 votes over his PDP rival Nazir Ahmad Khan during the counting of votes for the Srinagar-Budgam Lok Sabha by-election.
Out of the nearly 80,000 votes cast, about 50,000 have been counted so far, an official said.
The counting of votes began at 8 a.m. Voting was held on April 9, wherein only seven per cent voters turned out to exercise their franchise.
However, after the violence in which eight civilians were killed by security forces in clashes with protesters, a re-poll was ordered for April 13 at 38 polling stations in Budgam district, in which a mere 2 per cent voters turned out.
There are nine candidates in the fray, but the main battle is between former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah and Peoples Democratic Party’s Nazir Ahmad Khan.
Separatists had called for a boycott of these polls.
