Hyderabad, Nov 14 (PTI) Amid tight security, counting of votes in the by-election for Jubilee Hills Assembly constituency, crucial for the ruling Congress government and also BRS, began on Friday with officials taking up postal ballots first.

The counting process would be taken up in 10 rounds.

The officials said 48.49 per cent of votes were cast on November 11 when the polling was held. The total number of eligible voters was 4.01 lakh, while 1.94 lakh voters exercised their franchise.

Elaborate arrangements, including security, have been made for the counting process.

The bypoll was necessitated by the death of BRS MLA Maganti Gopinath in June this year.

The BJP fielded L Deepak Reddy, while Gopinath's widow Sunita is the BRS candidate. The ruling Congress candidate is Naveen Yadav.

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