Voting begins for Datia bypoll in MP; 2.20 lakh voters to decide fate of 21 candidates

Voting began at 7 a.m. Thursday for the by-election in Madhya Pradesh's Datia assembly constituency, where BJP's Ashutosh Tiwari and Congress' Ghanshyam Singh are locked in a direct contest, officials said.

Polling will continue until 6 p.m., with 2,20,344 voters eligible to cast their ballots to decide the fate of 21 candidates.

According to Election Commission officials, 291 polling stations have been set up across the constituency, including 186 in rural areas and 105 in urban areas. The electorate comprises 1,16,088 men and 1,04,246 women.

"Voting started peacefully and in an orderly manner at all polling stations at the scheduled time under the Datia assembly by-election 2026," said Swapnil Wankhede, collector and district election officer.

Officials said voters began arriving at polling stations in the morning and were enthusiastically exercising their franchise.

The district administration and election authorities have made arrangements for the bypoll and appealed to voters to cast their ballots without fear, officials said.

Votes will be counted on Aug. 3.

Superintendent of Police Mayur Khandelwal said Wednesday that security forces had been deployed for polling and a control room set up to take immediate action on complaints.

Police were keeping a close watch on suspicious individuals, and strict action would be taken against anyone attempting to influence the voting process or disturb law and order, he said.

The ruling BJP has fielded Tiwari, while the Congress has nominated Singh. Damodar Singh Yadav of the Azad Samaj Party is also contesting, making it a potential triangular contest.

The remaining 18 candidates could also influence the prospects of the major parties, according to political analysts.

In the 2023 assembly elections, Congress' Rajendra Bharti defeated then-Home Minister Narottam Mishra by more than 7,500 votes.

However, a Delhi court sentenced Bharti to three years in prison in a fraud case in April, resulting in his disqualification and necessitating the by-election. Bharti later secured bail.

The BJP did not renominate Mishra and instead fielded Tiwari, who comes from a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh background. The decision prompted his supporters to stage a protest.