Gorakhpur, Mar 14: After reports claimed that the Samajwadi Party candidate Praveen Nishad surged ahead of BJP's Upendra Dutt Shukla in the Gorakhpur bye-elections, District Magistrate Rajeev Rautela banned the media from entering the counting centres. (For live updates of Gorakhpur and Phulpur bypoll results, click here)

The top Gorakhpur official said misinformation could be generated if the media reports unscrutinised counting figures.

"Counting of votes is underway. When ARO sends counting figures of any round from the 5 assembly constituencies, it is scrutinised by the RO and two observers scrutinise the counting figures manually & digitally & then sign it. This process takes time," the DM said.

"Only then is the counting sheet of the entire Parliamentary constituency finalised and we announce it. We have announced the figures of the first round. Those of the 2nd and 3rd round are ready. We will announce it soon," he added.

Meanwhile, TV reports said the SP candidate was leading over BJP by 1,521 votes after the third round of voting concluded.

Earlier in the day, when the first round of counting concluded, the BJP was leading the seat by nearly 3,000 votes. Nishad, the SP nominee, had then alleged "EVM rigging" to be the reason for his trail.

"The EVMs were rigged in favour of the BJP. There is no other way I could lose the elections. All communities in Gorakhpur were supporting me," Nishad had said.

A loss in Gorakhpur is expected to leave the BJP red-faced as the seat was last represented in the Lok Sabha by Yogi Adityanath, the incumbent Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 14, 2018 11:52 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).