New Delhi, Aug 28 (IANS): The counting of votes for the Bawana assembly by-poll here began at 8 a.m. on Monday.

The by-poll was necessitated after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Ved Prakash quit the party and resigned from the assembly seat to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (Lead).

Voting was conducted on August 23 at 379 polling booths. The polling percentage remaind quite low as only 45 per cent people voted.

The results are crucial for all the three political parties who had exuded confidence to win the seat.

While the AAP is hoping to pass this litmus test by reclaiming the seat and putting a stop to its waning popularity, the BJP is trying to continue its winning streak after the Rajouri Garden Assembly bypoll and municipal corporations election.

The Congress is also hoping to open its account in the 70-member assembly by winning this seat.

AAP's Ram Chandra, BJP's Ved Prakash and the Congress's Surender Kumar are in fray in Bawana.

One of the 12 reserved constituencies, Bawana has around 2.94 lakh voters and is dotted with 26 villages, unauthoried colonies and slums.