New Delhi, July 30: Voting for by-elections in three assembly seats across three states will take place today, July 30. The seats up for election include Bankipur in Bihar, Datia in Madhya Pradesh, and Manjalpur in Gujarat. The results for these by-elections will be announced on August 3.
In Madhya Pradesh’s Datia seat, a fierce contest is expected between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Ashutosh Tiwari and Congress’s Ghanshyam Singh. For the Bankipur seat, the BJP has fielded Neeraj Kumar Sinha, while Jan Suraj’s Prashant Kishor is anticipated to give a tough fight. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has nominated Rekha Gupta for this seat. In Manjalpur, the BJP has put forth Satish Patel, while Congress has nominated Bhikhabhai Rabari.
The Bankipur seat became vacant following the resignation of BJP president Nitin Nawin from his legislative position. In Madhya Pradesh, Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti was disqualified due to a fraud conviction, and in Gujarat, the seat was vacated after the passing of BJP MLA Yogeshbhai Narnadas Patel.
The Election Commission has confirmed that electronic voting machines (EVMs) and VVPATs will be used at all polling stations. Voting in the Datia assembly constituency will occur from 7 AM to 6 PM today. The district administration has completed all necessary preparations to ensure a peaceful and fair election. Under the guidance of Collector and District Election Officer Swapnil Wankhede, election materials were distributed to polling teams at 5 AM from the Polytechnic College for 291 polling stations.
In Datia, a total of 220,410 voters, including 116,116 men, 104,284 women, and 10 others, will exercise their voting rights across 291 polling stations, which include 185 rural and 106 urban centers. The entire constituency has been divided into 36 sectors, with 36 sector officers appointed for oversight.
For the Bankipur assembly by-election, a total of 25 candidates will contest, with 379,616 voters deciding their fate. There are 422 polling stations in the Bankipur assembly area, all of which are secured by central paramilitary forces and Bihar police personnel.
According to the administration, 14 companies of central forces have been deployed for the security of polling stations, including 9 platoons of the rapid action force, 18 static surveillance teams, 6 video surveillance teams, 3 video viewing teams, and 42 sector officers. Additionally, a sufficient number of police personnel and magistrates have been appointed to maintain law and order, with special monitoring arrangements in place to prevent any disruptions during voting.
In Manjalpur, a tough competition is anticipated between the BJP and Congress. The BJP has nominated Satish Patel, while Congress has fielded Bhikhabhai Rabari, the vice president of Gujarat Congress and a former state minister. The number of voters in this constituency exceeds 260,000. In the 2022 Gujarat assembly elections, BJP’s Yogesh Patel won this seat with over 120,000 votes. The decision on victory or defeat will be made on August 3, with both BJP and Congress exerting their full efforts in these by-elections.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.