CHANDIGARH: Congress candidate Hardev Singh Laddi was leading by more than 16,000 votes over his nearest rival, Shiromani Akali Dal nominee Naib Singh Kohar, after seven rounds of counting for the Shahkot assembly constituency bypoll, officials said.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Rattan Singh Kakkar Kalan appeared to be out of the contest as he was way behind the Congress and Akali Dal candidates.

Laddi was leading by 10,586 votes over his rival Kohar after five rounds of counting were completed, said an official. The votes would be counted over 17 rounds, an official said, adding that the result was expected to be declared by afternoon.

The Shahkot bypoll was necessitated by the death of Akali MLA Ajit Singh Kohar, Naib Singh Kohar’s father, in February this year.

The counting process for the Shahkot assembly constituency bypoll began at 8 AM in Jalandhar in the presence of the election observer, candidates of the political parties and their representatives today amid tight security arrangements. The counting centre has been set up at the office of the director, Land Records, in Jalandhar.