Bhopal, Nov 22 (UNI) Amid tight security, counting of votes – cast on Saturday in the Shahdol parliamentary and Nepanagar assembly by-elections in Madhya Pradesh –commenced at 0800 hrs this morning. Official sources said that counting for votes polled during the Shahdol parliamentary by-election began on the premises of the Indira Gandhi Home Science Girls’ College (Jaisinghnagar and Jaitpur assembly segments in Shahdol district), the Government Industrial Training Centre (Kotma, Anuppur and Pushprajgarh in Anuppur district), the District Education and Training Institute (Bandhavgarh and Manpur in Umaria district) and the Model School (Badwara in Katni district). Counting of ballots in Nepanagar assembly by-election commenced at the Burhanpur-based Polytechnic College. More than 700 polling officials are being engaged in counting of votes. Most rounds of polling – 22 in number – would be held in Jaitpur and Manpur. Nepanagar would witness 22 rounds of polling. A total 66 per cent of a 16,00,787-strong electorate – including 7,78,489 women – peacefully exercised their franchise in Shahdol while the corresponding figure in Nepanagar was 71.25 per cent with respect to a 2,30,320-strong electorate – including 1,11,744 females. In Shahdol, the key contest is between Madhya Pradesh’s ruling BJP’s Gyan Singh and the principal opposition Congress’ Himadri Singh though 15 other candidates are also trying their fortunes. The by-election was necessitated by the demise of Dalpat Singh Paraste (BJP). In Nepanagar, Manju Dadu (BJP) and Antar Singh (Cong) are locked in a keen contest. Total four nominees are in the fray. The by-election was necessitated by the demise of Rajendra Dadu (BJP). UNI Team-PS CJ SB 0846