Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti was on Saturday leading by over 1300 votes after the first round of counting in the bypoll to Anantnag Assembly constituency.
After the first round, Mehbooba had polled 1826 votes followed by Hilal Ahmad Shah of Congress (516) and Iftikhar Misger of National Conference (316), District Election Authorities said.
Ms. Mehbooba is among eight candidates in the bypoll for Anantnag Assembly seat which was necessitated due to death of incumbent MLA and then chief ministre Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on January 7 this year.
Polling in the constituency was held on June 22 during which over 28,000 of the 84,000 voters exercised their franchise
PTI