SRINAGAR: Chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mehbooba took an early lead in the Anantnag bypoll, where counting of votes began this morning at 0800 hrs.
Officials said that postal ballots were taken up first in the constituency, where polling was held on June 22 to elect a representative from among 8 candidates, including the Chief Minsiter.
They said Ms Mehbooba was leading by over 1300 votes over her nearest rival of Congress Hilal Ahmad Shah while main opposition National Conference (NC) nominee was third so far.
The seat fell vacant following the demise of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on January 7, 2016 in AIIMS, New Delhi. Mr Sayeed represented the seat in 2008 and later again in 2014.
The constituency witnessed uncontested polls until 1972 when for the first time people voted and elected their representative.
About 34 per cent of a total votes of 85608 voters cast their votes at 102 polling stations set up in the constituency.
Besides Ms Mufti of PDP, Hilal Ahmad Shah of Congress, Iftikhar Hussain Misgar of National Conference (NC) and independents Tejinder Singh, Manzoor Ahmad Khan, Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman, Masroor Ahmad Mir and Mushtaq Ahmad Shah are seeking mandate from the constituency.
Ms Mehbooba, who is not member of any of the House, is presently MP from South Kashmir. She, who took oath as Chief Minister on April 4, has to become member of upper or lower house within six months.
Election in the constituency was postponed twice and finally polling was held on June 22 peacefully.
Shamas Uddin of National Conference of Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad faction was declared elected uncontested in 1962. Bakshi headed the NC after Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, then prime Minister was ousted and imprisoned by Congress government at the centre in 1953. Bakshi later took over as Prime Minister of the State.
Shamas Uddin was again declared elected uncontested in 1967 but this time on the ticket of Congress as in 1965 majority of the NC leaders of Bakshi faction joined Congress.
Shamas Uddin made a hat-trick in 1972 when he was again elected after defeating Piarya Lal Handoo by a margin of 2018 votes.
However, situation changed in the entire Jammu and Kashmir, so in the Anantnag constituency, when Sheikh Abdullah joined the national mainstream following Indira-Sheikh accord in 1975 and decided to contest all elections in the State.
Mirza Mohammad Afzal Beg, close confident of Sheikh won the seat after he defeated Congress candidate Sheikh Abdul Majeed by a margin of 6630 votes. He represented the seat again in 1983 when he defeated Ghulam Hassan Naik of Congress by a margin of 5612 votes.
However, it was independent Mohammad Sayeed Shah who turned the table and won from the seat after he defeated Congress candidate Mirza Masood Beg in 1987 by a highest margin so far of 16705 votes.
Safar Ali Beg won the seat for NC in 1996 when the elections in the state were held after about six years long Governor rule. He defeated Bashir Dada of Awami League (AL) an organization headed by surrendered militant late Mohamamad Yousuf Parray alias Kuka Parray, Beg got 6066 votes while Dada polled 5448 votes.
NC retained the seat in 2002 when Dr Mehboob Beg got elected after he defeated Liyakat Ali Khan of AL by a margin of 6028 votes. (AGENCIES)
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