Bhopal/Patna/Vadodara, July 30, 2026

Madhya Pradesh's Datia recorded an estimated voter turnout of 71.44 per cent as polling for the Assembly by-election concluded peacefully on Thursday, significantly higher than the estimated/reported turnout in Bihar's Bankipur (34.30 per cent) and Gujarat's Manjalpur (37.50 per cent). Long queues were witnessed at several polling stations through the day as voters turned out in large numbers to exercise their franchise.

Datia (22): Prestige battle in Madhya Pradesh

According to official estimates the turnout figures are provisional and may be revised after the final consolidation of polling data. Voters from across age groups participated enthusiastically in what election officials described as the "festival of democracy". Youth, women, senior citizens and persons with disabilities turned up steadily at polling stations from the morning, contributing to the high voter participation recorded during the day.

District Collector and District Election Officer Swapnil Wankhede and Superintendent of Police Mayur Khandelwal oversaw the polling arrangements in accordance with Election Commission guidelines. Polling stations were equipped with drinking water, shaded waiting areas, medical assistance and wheelchairs for persons with disabilities, while security personnel maintained continuous vigil to ensure peaceful voting.

According to district officials, the estimated turnout included 74.09 per cent among male voters, 68.48 per cent among female voters, and 20 per cent among other registered voters.

After polling concluded, polling teams began transporting Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and other election materials to the designated reception centre under tight security. District Election Officer Swapnil Wankhede thanked voters, polling personnel, police and central security forces, media representatives and all others associated with the election process for ensuring peaceful and orderly polling.

The Datia Assembly bypoll has emerged as the most closely watched contest in Madhya Pradesh. More than 2.20 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise at 291 polling stations, comprising 185 rural and 106 urban booths. Chief Electoral Officer Sanjeev Kumar Jha said all necessary measures have been put in place and appealed to voters to participate in large numbers.

Of the total 2,20,410 electors, 1,16,116 are men, 1,04,284 are women, and 10 belong to the third gender. The constituency has been divided into 36 sectors, with a sector officer assigned to each for close monitoring of polling.

The Election Commission has identified 233 critical and 28 vulnerable polling stations. Webcasting is being carried out at all 291 polling stations, with cameras installed inside polling booths and their premises to enable real-time monitoring of the voting process.

To encourage greater voter participation, the administration has set up a Pink Polling Station, managed entirely by women personnel, at the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET), and a Model Polling Station at the New Mineral Office in Datia. A separate accessible polling station, equipped with ramps and wheelchairs, has also been established at the DIET campus to facilitate voting by persons with disabilities.

A total of 1,280 polling personnel and 215 micro-observers have been deployed to ensure smooth polling. Security has been further strengthened with 12 inter-state border check-posts, where police and administrative teams are conducting round-the-clock vehicle checks. A dedicated 24-hour control room has also been established to receive complaints and respond to any election-related issues. For security, personnel from the CRPF, SSB, CISF, Special Armed Force (SAF), District Police Force, Home Guards and Special Police Officers (SPOs) have been deployed across the constituency to maintain law and order throughout the polling process.

Datia witnessed one of the closest contests in the 2023 Assembly election, when the Congress' Rajendra Bharti defeated then Home Minister Dr Narottam Mishra by 7,742 votes. Bharti secured 88,977 votes (50.34%), while Mishra polled 81,235 votes (45.96%). The election also recorded an impressive 79.4 per cent voter turnout, reflecting the constituency's high level of political participation.

The present by-election was triggered after Bharti was disqualified following his conviction and three-year jail sentence in a bank fraud case in April under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act. Although he was later granted bail, the conviction resulted in the Datia Assembly seat falling vacant.

The BJP sprang a surprise by fielding Ashutosh Tiwari, an RSS-backed party worker, instead of former Home Minister Dr Narottam Mishra, who had represented the constituency for years. The decision initially sparked protests by Mishra's supporters before the senior BJP leader appealed to party workers to rally behind the party's official candidate.

The contest is primarily between the BJP's Ashutosh Tiwari and the Congress' Kunwar Ghanshyam Singh. However, Damodar Singh Yadav of the Azad Samaj Party is also in the fray, seeking to make it a triangular contest. In all, 21 candidates are contesting the bypoll, with political observers saying the presence of smaller candidates could influence the outcome in what is expected to be a closely fought election.

Bankipur (182): First electoral test for Prashant Kishor

The Bankipur by-election has attracted national attention as it marks the first major electoral contest for Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor after launching his political party. Widely known for his role as an election strategist, Kishor is now seeking to translate political strategy into electoral success.

He is facing a triangular contest against BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar Sinha and RJD nominee Rekha Gupta. The constituency has around 3.79 lakh voters across 422 polling stations and includes several high-profile electors, including members of the Lalu Prasad family, Union Minister Chirag Paswan, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad and Union Minister Ram Kripal Yadav.

Manjalpur (145): BJP Defends Long-held Bastion

In Gujarat, polling is being held for the Manjalpur Assembly seat in Vadodara, which fell vacant following the death of veteran BJP MLA Yogesh Patel. Patel had represented the constituency continuously since 1990 and was elected eight times.

The BJP has fielded Satish Patel, while the Congress has nominated former minister Bhikhabhai Rabari. Manjalpur has long been regarded as a BJP stronghold, making the bypoll an important test of the party's organisational strength in the constituency.