DATIA: The Datia Assembly byelection in Madhya Pradesh recorded a voter turnout of 71.4 per cent by the close of polling on Thursday, with voting remaining largely peaceful despite rain, a few technical glitches and allegations of irregularities from the Congress. The turnout was notably lower than the 2023 Assembly election, when the constituency had recorded 80.2 per cent voting. The contest is primarily between BJP candidate Ashutosh Tiwari and Congress nominee Ghanshyam Singh, while Azad Samaj Party candidate Damodar Singh Yadav and 18 others are also in the fray. More than 2.20 lakh registered voters were eligible to cast their ballots across 291 polling stations, including 186 booths in rural areas and 105 in urban pockets. Datia Collector and District Election Officer Swapnil Wankhede said polling began on schedule at all booths and arrangements had been made for free and fair voting. Minor technical problems involving VVPATs, ballot units and control units were reported at some polling stations, though election officials said these were resolved without significantly affecting the voting process.

The polling day also saw political allegations from the Congress, which claimed fake voting had taken place at booths in Sirol and Jigna. Congress candidate Ghanshyam Singh visited the locations and raised the matter with election officials. The party also accused the BJP of attempting booth capturing at Polling Booth No. 51. Singh alleged that one of his polling agents was taken away by police and that a BJP polling agent tried to influence voters before being removed by CRPF personnel. He demanded an impartial inquiry and claimed that the incident had been captured on CCTV. The allegations were rejected by former Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra, who said Congress routinely raises such accusations when it expects defeat. Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari, meanwhile, expressed confidence that his party would win the seat comfortably despite what he described as the BJP's full organisational push in the constituency. No final finding on the Congress allegations was stated in the report.

Weather also created problems at a few locations during the Datia bypoll, with rain causing waterlogging at some polling booths and temporarily affecting voting. In Lakhanpur village, residents initially decided to boycott the election over the lack of road connectivity. Officials later spoke to the villagers and persuaded them to participate in the polling process. The byelection was required following the disqualification of former Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti after his conviction in a fraud case. Datia had witnessed strong voter participation in the 2023 Assembly election, but Thursday's turnout of 71.4 per cent was around nine percentage points lower. With polling now complete, attention has shifted to the counting of votes scheduled for August 3. The result will decide whether the BJP manages to wrest the seat from Congress or the opposition party retains its hold on the constituency. While Ashutosh Tiwari and Ghanshyam Singh remain the principal contenders, the votes secured by Damodar Singh Yadav and the other candidates could also influence the final margin in what has largely developed into a BJP-Congress battle.

Voting for the Datia Assembly bypoll in Madhya Pradesh began at 7 am on Thursday, July 30, with more than 2.20 lakh voters eligible to decide the fate of 21 candidates in the constituency. The main contest is being seen between BJP candidate Ashutosh Tiwari and Congress nominee Ghanshyam Singh, though the presence of Azad Samaj Party candidate Damodar Singh Yadav has added another angle to the electoral battle. Polling will continue until 6 pm. According to Election Commission officials, 291 polling stations have been set up across the constituency, including 186 in rural areas and 105 in urban pockets. Datia has a total of 2,20,344 registered voters, comprising 1,16,088 men and 1,04,246 women. Collector and District Election Officer Swapnil Wankhede said polling began peacefully and in an orderly manner at all booths at the scheduled time. Voters started reaching polling stations from the morning, with officials reporting an enthusiastic response during the initial hours.

Security arrangements have been tightened across Datia to ensure peaceful voting. The district administration and election authorities have appealed to people to exercise their franchise without fear. Superintendent of Police Mayur Khandelwal had said on Wednesday evening that security companies had been deployed for polling and a control room established to respond immediately to complaints. Police teams are keeping watch on suspicious activities, while officials have warned of strict action against anyone attempting to influence voters or disturb law and order. The Datia bypoll 2026 has attracted considerable political attention because of the constituency's recent electoral history. While the BJP and Congress are the principal rivals, Damodar Singh Yadav of the Azad Samaj Party is attempting to turn the election into a triangular contest. Apart from these three candidates, another 18 are in the fray. Their presence could become important if they draw enough votes to affect the margins of the major parties. Counting will take place on August 3, when the final result will be declared.

The bypoll became necessary after Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti was disqualified following his conviction in a fraud case. In April, a Delhi court sentenced Bharti to three years in prison, resulting in his disqualification from the Assembly, though he later secured bail. Bharti had delivered a significant result for Congress in the 2023 Madhya Pradesh Assembly election when he defeated then state Home Minister Narottam Mishra by more than 7,500 votes in Datia. This time, however, the BJP decided against fielding Mishra and instead gave the ticket to Ashutosh Tiwari, who has a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh background. The decision had triggered protests among some of Mishra's supporters after the candidate was announced. Congress has placed its bet on Ghanshyam Singh as it seeks to retain the seat, while the BJP is trying to wrest Datia back from its rival. With 21 candidates in the field and over 2.20 lakh voters eligible to participate, the focus now remains on voter turnout through the day and whether the BJP-Congress battle stays direct or the smaller candidates manage to influence the final result.