SUKHUM, September 8. /TASS/. Incumbent Abkhazian President Raul Khajimba is winning Sunday’s runoff presidential polls with more than 49% of votes, as follows from the update of Khajimba’s election headquarters issued after counting 72% of ballots.

"As of 21.45 local time, 72% of ballots were counted. So far, the incumbent president is winning," a headquarters’ spokesman said.

After counting 58,000 out of 81,000 ballots, Khajumba is winning 49.69% of the vote, while his rival, leader of the opposition party Amtsakhara, Alkhas Kvitsiniya, is scoring 47.76% of votes.

The voting results will be officially announced at noon on Monday.

The elections may be recognized as invalid if the against-all candidates scores a simple majority of votes. In this case, a new round of voting will be organized within two months.

The elections will also be recognized as invalid if both candidates win an equal number of votes.

During the runoff election, the voter turnout needs to be at least 25%, and the winner is elected by the simple majority of votes.

Nine candidates were running for president in the first round. Khajimba and Kvitsiniya made it into the runoff. In the first round on August 25, they secured 24.83% and 22.91% of the vote, respectively.