Polling for the Datia Assembly by-election is progressing peacefully, with 32.53% voter turnout recorded by 11 am on Thursday. Long queues of voters were seen at several polling stations across urban and rural areas as electors turned out in significant numbers to cast their votes.

Voting began at 7 am across 291 polling stations and will continue until 6 pm. A total of 2,20,400 registered voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the bypoll.

Three EVM-Related Technical Issues Resolved Before Polling

Before voting commenced, technical issues were reported at three polling stations during the mandatory mock poll exercise.

According to Collector and District Election Officer Swapnil Wankhede, the issues involved a VVPAT machine at Polling Station 186, a Ballot Unit (BU) at Polling Station 108, and a Control Unit (CU) at Polling Station 290.

All faulty equipment was replaced in the presence of polling agents and under CCTV surveillance before polling officially began, ensuring that voting started on schedule without affecting the election process.

Village Boycott Ends After Administrative Intervention

In Lakhanpur village of Basai area, residents initially boycotted the election, raising the slogan "No Road, No Vote" to demand construction of the village's main approach road.

Following the protest, SDM Ashok Awasthi reached the village and held discussions with residents. After assurances from the administration, nearly 50 villagers agreed to participate in the voting process.

Candidates Express Confidence

After casting his vote, Congress candidate Ghanshyam Singh expressed confidence about the party's prospects, claiming that voters would reject what he described as the BJP's "arrogance." He also alleged that a Congress polling agent was not allowed to enter a polling booth in the Basai area.

Meanwhile, BJP candidate Ashutosh Tiwari visited the revered Pitambara Peeth Temple before polling began, offering prayers for Datia's development, employment opportunities for youth, and a peaceful district. Later, he visited Polling Station No. 158 to interact with BJP polling agents and claimed the party was receiving strong public support.

Security Tightened Across Constituency

To ensure free and fair polling, extensive security arrangements have been deployed across the constituency.

Additional Superintendent of Police Manjit Singh Chawla inspected several polling stations during the day, while Collector Swapnil Wankhede confirmed that polling was proceeding peacefully and systematically throughout the constituency.

Live Updates During Polling

Several developments were reported during the course of voting:

• Former Home Minister Dr. Narottam Mishra's son Sukarn Mishra cast his vote and appealed to voters to support development-oriented governance.

• BJP filed a complaint with the Election Commission over an allegedly fake social media post claiming the removal of the party's district president, accusing unidentified individuals of attempting to mislead voters.

• Rain overnight left muddy conditions outside a polling station in Badonkala village, causing inconvenience to voters.

• Former BSP candidate Lokendra Netaji claimed that an Independent candidate would only divide votes rather than emerge victorious.

• DIG Sunil Kumar Jain inspected polling stations and reviewed security arrangements.

• Elderly and first-time voters shared positive experiences after exercising their franchise, while polling remained peaceful across sensitive locations.

Background of the Bypoll

The Datia Assembly by-election was necessitated after the membership of Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti was automatically terminated following his conviction and sentence exceeding two years.

The vacancy was declared under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, in line with the Supreme Court's judgment in the Lily Thomas vs Union of India case and Article 191(1)(e) of the Constitution.

Polling is continuing peacefully, with election officials expecting voter turnout to increase during the afternoon hours.