Independent Shankar Singh leading in Rupauli assembly bye-poll against JD (U) Kaladhar Mandal.

Independent Shankar Singh leading in Rupauli assembly bye-poll against JD (U) Kaladhar Mandal.

Patna July 13: The counting of votes of the Rupauli assembly bye-poll is currently underway, an independent candidate Shankar Singh is leading by 1036 votes against JD (U) candidate Kaladhar Mandal after 7 rounds of counting.

Interestingly, the RJD candidate Bima Bharti is in third position. She is trailing by a big margin of 16884 votes.

Shankar Singh has achieved 37137 while Kaladhar Mandal has obtained 36101 votes after the 7 rounds. Kaladhar Mandal was leading till six rounds.

Bima Bharti has obtained just 20253 votes. Nota got 3259 votes after the 7 rounds and on fourth position.

A total of 11 candidates are in the fray and the remaining 8 candidates have not achieved the four-figure mark after 7 rounds of counting.

According to the election commission, 12 rounds of counting will take place in this election.

A total of 28 tables have been set up for the counting of votes. The polling was held in Rupauli on July 10.

According to the Election Commission, 52.75% of the voters exercised their franchise which was much lower compared to 2020 when 61.19% voting was recorded.

The Rupauli assembly seat became vacant due to the resignation of Bima Bharti from the post of MLA. She was an MLA of JD (U) but resigned from the post and party to contest the Lok Sabha election on the ticket of RJD. Bima Bharti lost that election of the Lok Sabha.

The district administration has deployed adequate security forces in and outside of the college campus for the counting.

Purnea DM has deployed 70 duty magistrates and around 400 police personnel at the venue for the peaceful counting.

“We have brought a three-tier security arrangement at the college for smooth proceedings of counting,” said Pushkar Kumar, SDPO of Sadar range Purnea.

EOM.