Live: Dhinakaran wins RK Nagar bypoll

TTV Dhinakaran wins RK Nagar bypoll.

Official EC final result: TTV Dhinakaran at 89,013 votes, AIADMK's E Madhusudhanan at 48,306 votes, DMK's N Marudhu Ganesh at 24, 651, BJP's Karu Nagarajan at 1,417 votes at the end of counting.

 Dhinakaran wins by 40,707 votes 

Official EC trends: TTV Dhinakaran continues to lead with 68,392 votes, AIADMK's E Madhusudhanan at 36,217 votes, DMK's N Marudhu Ganesh at 18,924 , BJP's Karu Nagarajan at 1,126 votes at the end of round 14 of counting 

Official Election Commission trends: TTV Dhinakaran continues to lead with 48,808 votes, AIADMK's E. Madhusudhanan gets 25,567 votes, DMK's N Marudhu Ganesh gets 13,015 votes in round 10 of counting

Official EC trends: TTV Dhinakaran continues to lead with 39,548 total votes, AIADMK's E Madhusudhanan gets 19,525 votes and DMK's N Marudhu Ganesh gets 10, 233 votes in round 8 of counting

Official EC trends: TTV Dhinakaran leads with 29255 total votes, AIADMKs E. Madhusudhanan gets 15181 votes and DMK's N. Marudhu Ganesh gets 7986 votes at the end of counting round 6

Official EC trends: TTV Dhinakaran leads with 24132 total votes, AIADMKs E. Madhusudhanan 13057 votes and DMK's N. Marudhu Ganesh 6606 votes at the end of counting round 5

Official EC trends: TTV Dhinakaran continues to lead with 5447 votes, AIADMKs E Madhusudhanan has got 2512 votes and DMK's N Marudhu Ganesh has got 1367 votes at the end of counting round 3

Official EC trends: TTV Dhinakaran leads with 5082 votes, AIADMKs E Madhusudhanan gets 1783 votes, and DMK's N Marudhu Ganesh gets 1142 votes in round 2 of counting

Counting halted for about 15 minutes after clash between AIADMK and Dhinakaran supporters at counting centre, later resumed.

Chennai district Electoral Officer says, "Police restored peace, nothing alarming. Compilation of second round going on." 

The counting of votes in the RK Nagar bypoll began at 8 am Sunday morning. 

RK Nagar is seen as not only politically symbolic but also as a litmus test for the ruling AIADMK. 

This is where five-time former chief minister Jayalalithaa won her last two elections from, which is why the ruling AIADMK will be keen to retain it.  

The seat fell vacant after her death last year. 

The bypoll is also being seen as a litmus test for the minority AIADMK government, with commentators saying the psychological fallout of a loss could affect it.  

The bypoll this time is a three-way contest between the AIADMK's E Madhusudhanan, rebel AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran who is fighting as an independent candidate, and the opposition DMK's N Maruthu Ganesh.

First reports are saying Dinakaran is in the lead. 

The RK Nagar by-elections were held on Thursday, with voter turnout recorded at 77.68 per cent.

The election commission said the turnout was the highest figure since 2011.

The by-election was actually scheduled for April this year but was postponed after allegations surfaced of voters being bribed.