Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti won the Anantnag bypoll earlier today by defeating her nearest Congress rival Hilal Shah by over 12,000 votes.
Mehbooba's victory margin was double than that of her father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, who had in 2014 won by around 6,000 votes in the constituency.
The National Conference had suffered a jolt at the time because its known face against Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, Mehboob Beg, decided to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the last minute - leaving the National Conference desperately battling for someone to take on Sayeed.
Earlier in the day, the counting of votes was disrupted for a brief while after the Congress workers created ruckus outside the counting hall, saying they found the EVMs unsealed.
Eight candidates, including Mehbooba Mufti of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hilal Ahmad Shah of the Congress and Iftikhar Hussain Misgar of the National Conference were in the fray.
The by-election in Anantnag took place following the death of the then chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, who represented the constituency in the 87-member legislative house.
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Sayeed passed away in New Delhi on 7 January after a brief illness.
Mehbooba assumed office after being sworn in as the Chief Minister of the PDP-BJP coalition government on April 4.
Mehbooba, who is not member of any of the House, is presently an MP from south Kashmir Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency in Parliament.