Bypoll results 2022 live updates | SP candidate leading in Rampur, BJP ahead in Azamgarh

AAP candidate Durgesh Pathak was leading the tally over his BJP rival Rajesh Bhatia by a margin of over 1,500 votes in the Rajinder Nagar Assembly bypoll

Counting of votes is under way on June 26 in three Lok Sabha and seven assembly seats spread across five states and Delhi where bypolls were held on June 23. Counting began at 8 a.m. under multi-tier security cover. At first, postal ballots will be counted and then EVMs opened. Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha is among the key candidates whose fate will be decided. Tripura has the highest number of four seats — Agartala, Jubarajnagar, Surma and Town Bardowali. Mr. Saha, who is contesting from Town Bardowali, needs to win this election to continue as chief minister.

Lok Sabha bypolls were held in Rampur and Azamgarh constituencies in Uttar Pradesh and Sangrur seat in Punjab. The other constituencies where assembly bypolls were held were Rajinder Nagar in Delhi, Mandar in Jharkhand's Ranchi district and Atmakuru in Andhra Pradesh. The bypolls in Uttar Pradesh were necessitated by the resignations of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and party leader Azam Khan from Azamgarh and Rampur seats, respectively.

It is a crucial test for both the Samajwadi Party and the Aam Aadmi Party. The results, which will be declared on Sunday, will reveal if the Samajwadi Party, in spite of its defeat in the Assembly elections, can hold on to its bastions. For the AAP, the elections, coming on the heels of the murder of Sidhu Moosewala which drew allegations of law and order breakdown in the State, will test whether the popularity of the Bhagwant Mann government can withstand the outrage.

Here are the latest updates

AAP candidate Durgesh Pathak was leading the tally over his BJP rival Rajesh Bhatia by a margin of over 1,500 votes in the Rajinder Nagar Assembly bypoll, as counting of votes began on Sunday morning.

After the first round of counting, Mr. Pathak had secured nearly 64% of the votes counted, according to official data shared by authorities. Mr. Bhatia was behind him with 32.26% share of the votes counted in the first round.

Congress candidate Prem Lata was trailing with a meagre 2.09% vote share, according to the official data. - PTI