Srinagar April 15 (IANS) 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.
--IANS
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Farooq Abdullah leads by over 8000 votes in by-poll
