Voting begins for Datia bypoll in Madhya Pradesh; 2.20 lakh voters to decide fate of 21 candidates
Voting has commenced for the Datia Assembly by-election in Madhya Pradesh, featuring a contest between BJP's Ashutosh Tiwari and Congress's Ghanshyam Singh. Over 2.2 lakh voters are expected to participate in the election, which is being held under tight security.
Why it matters
By-elections are critical indicators of local political sentiment and can influence the stability of state-level political coalitions.
Voting began at 7 a.m. on Thursday (July 30, 2026) for the byelection in the Datia Assembly constituency in Madhya Pradesh, where BJP’s Ashutosh Tiwari and Congress’ Ghanshyam Singh are locked in a direct contest, said officials.
Polling will continue till 6 p.m., they said.
According to Election Commission officials, 291 polling stations have been set up in the constituency, where 2,20,344 voters will exercise their franchise to decide the electoral fate of 21 candidates.
“Voting started peacefully and in an orderly manner at all polling stations at the scheduled time under the Datia Assembly byelection 2026,” said Swapnil Wankhede, Collector and District Election Officer.
Of the 291 polling stations, 186 are in rural areas and 105 are in urban pockets. The constituency has 1,16,088 male voters and 1,04,246 female voters.
Officials said voters began arriving at polling stations since morning, and people were enthusiastically exercising their franchise.
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