Datia Assembly by‑election set for July 30 with Model Code of Conduct in force

The Election Commission of India announced the timetable for the Datia Assembly by‑poll in Madhya Pradesh. The seat became vacant after Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti was disqualified following his conviction in a decades‑old fraud case linked to the Datia Cooperative Rural Development Bank. Nominations will be accepted from July 6 to July 13, with scrutiny on July 14 and a final withdrawal deadline of July 16. Polling is scheduled for July 30 and vote counting will take place on August 3, concluding the process by August 4. The Model Code of Conduct took effect immediately, prohibiting the use of government resources for campaign purposes, restricting loudspeaker use, and banning inducements to voters. Voting will be conducted using Electronic Voting Machines and Voter‑Verifiable Paper Audit Trail units. The contest pits the ruling BJP against the opposition Congress in a constituency that switched hands in the 2023 state election.