Gurdaspur Lok Sabha Bypoll Results 2017 LIVE: Massive lead for Congress' Sunil Jakhar

Gurdaspur: Counting of votes for the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat in Punjab where by-election were held recently is currently underway on Sunday.

The results of the Gurdaspur bypoll will be seen as a reflection of the six-month-old Congress government’s popularity in the state. The bypoll was necessitated after the death of actor-turned-politician Vinod Khanna. Congress' Punjab unit chief Sunil Jakhar, BJP's Swaran Salaria and AAP's Major General (retd) Suresh Khajuria are the main contenders to win the high-stake electoral battle here.

Here are the live updates:- 

-Congress's Sunil Jakhar now leads by 94,161 votes, according to ANI.

-Congress's Sunil Jakhar extends lead, is now leading by 42718 votes, according to ANI.

-After completion of first round of counting, Congress' Sunil Jakhar leads by 14316 votes.

-As per reports, Congress is leading at the moment,  BJP second and AAP third.

-Counting of votes has begun.

-There is tight security outside the two counting centres in the state. 

-No hotel, restaurant, liquor shop or any eating joint, even with a licence, would be allowed to serve or sell liquor today.

-In view of the counting, the Election Commission has announced a complete prohibition on sale and supply of liquor in Gurdaspur.

-Counting centres have been set up at Sukhjindra College Gurdaspur for the six assembly constituencies and for the rest three constituencies of Pathankot district, it has been set up at the SD College in Pathankot. 

-The Gurdaspur parliamentary seat has nine assembly segments — Bhoa, Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Dinanagar, Qadian, Fathegarh Churian, Dera Baba Nanak, Sujanpur and Batala. 

-Counting of votes to begin shortly.  

Gurdaspur Lok Sabha bypoll: Counting of votes to begin shortly #Punjab pic.twitter.com/il53xC7yND — ANI (@ANI) October 15, 2017

A total of 56 percent of registered voters exercised their franchise on October 11 in the by-election to the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency, according to Punjab Chief Electoral Officer VK Singh.

Minor clashes were also reported between Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiromani Akali Dal workers in some villages, in which five to six persons were injured.

Nearly 15.22 lakh voters were registered to vote to decide the fate of 11 candidates, including BJP`s Swarn Salaria, Congress` Sunil Kumar Jakhar and Aam Aadmi Party`s retired Major General Suresh Kumar Khajuria.