Datia Assembly By-Election Sees 71.4 Percent Voter Turnout

Voters in the Datia Assembly constituency of Madhya Pradesh cast ballots on July 31, 2026, in a by-election necessitated by the fraud conviction and subsequent disqualification of former Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti. Election Officer Swapnil Wankhede reported a turnout of approximately 71.4% across 291 polling stations serving over 2.20 lakh registered voters.

The contest primarily features Ashutosh Tiwari of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Ghanshyam Singh of the Indian National Congress, with Damodar Singh Yadav of the Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) creating a triangular race. While Wankhede reported no untoward incidents, the Congress party alleged booth capturing and abuse of power, specifically citing the police removal of a polling agent at station 51 in Ramsagar.

Former Home Minister Narottam Mishra dismissed these claims as routine accusations from a party expecting defeat. Conversely, State Congress President Jitu Patwari claimed the party would secure victory despite the organizational efforts of the BJP. Election results are scheduled for declaration on August 3.