Farooq Abdullah leads by over 8000 votes in by-poll

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 sq-ruwa/tsb/bg