Radhaballabh Mishra/Arun More | Datia3 minutes ago
Voting for the Datia Assembly by-election will begin on Thursday morning at 7 AM and will continue until 6 PM. Enthusiasm among voters has been visible at polling stations since morning. Long queues are already being seen at several places even before voting begins. The Meteorological Department has issued a rain alert. This means if you are going to vote, take an umbrella or raincoat with you.
291 Polling Stations in the District
A total of 291 polling stations have been set up in the district for the by-election, where 2 lakh 20 thousand 400 voters will exercise their franchise. Strict security arrangements have been made to ensure free, fair, and peaceful voting.
Deployment of 1422 Personnel from 16 Security Companies 1422 personnel from 16 security companies including SSB have been deployed, while additional security forces have been stationed at sensitive polling stations. Sector mobile teams are continuously patrolling the area and encouraging voters to vote fearlessly.
BJP candidate in the field for the first time
Know about the Congress candidate
These 13 identity cards are also valid for voting Even if the Voter Photo Identity Card (EPIC) is not available, voters can exercise their franchise by showing any one of the 13 valid alternative photo identity cards.
As per the Election Commission’s instructions, valid identity cards include Aadhaar Card, PAN Card, Driving License, Indian Passport, Bank or Post Office Passbook with photo, Pension Document, Health Insurance Smart Card, Service Identity Card with photo, Official Identity Card issued to MPs or MLAs, Unique Disability Identity Card (UDID), MGNREGA Job Card and other prescribed photo identity cards.
Former Home Minister lost in the previous election
Know why by-election came about for Datia seat?
MLA Rajendra Bharti’s membership was terminated By-elections are being held for the Datia Assembly seat because after Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti was sentenced to more than two years, his Assembly membership was automatically terminated. Following this, the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Secretariat declared the seat vacant.
This action was taken under the Supreme Court’s Lily Thomas vs Union of India judgment, Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and Article 191(1)(e) of the Constitution.
Case of alleged fraud related to bank FD In the year 1998, a case of alleged fraud related to a Fixed Deposit (FD) in Datia Cooperative Rural Development Bank came to light. The allegation was that the bank records were manipulated to increase the FD tenure from 3 years to 15 years.
Based on this, interest amounts were withdrawn between 1999 and 2011. At that time, Rajendra Bharti was the chairman of the bank and also a trustee of the concerned institution. Later, the case was investigated and a chargesheet was filed.
Court convicted Rajendra Bharti on April 1 On April 1, 2026, the Special MP-MLA Court in Delhi convicted Rajendra Bharti in a 28-year-old bank fraud and forgery case. Following the conviction, he was sent to judicial custody.
On April 2, 2026, the court sentenced him to 3 years imprisonment and a fine of 1 lakh rupees. Additionally, a stay of 60 days on the execution of the sentence was granted to appeal in the High Court, but his conviction remained upheld.
On the same day, the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly Secretariat issued a notification terminating his membership as a Member of the Legislative Assembly effective from April 2, 2026. Along with this, the Datia Legislative Assembly seat was declared vacant and this information was sent to the Election Commission.
Why did the Assembly immediately declare the seat vacant? According to Section 8(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, if a legislator is sentenced to two years or more imprisonment, they become disqualified. After the Supreme Court’s Lily Thomas judgment in 2013, membership is terminated immediately in such situations. Merely filing an appeal does not restore membership. For this, the higher court must stay the conviction or disqualification.
