Overview
- Polling opened at 7 a.m. on Thursday and will run until 6 p.m., with counting scheduled for August 3.
- Officials reported 16.05% turnout by 9 a.m. and long queues at many booths, and the Election Commission issued a local rain alert for voters.
- The administration deployed 1,422 security personnel from 16 companies, completed mock polls at all stations, and is monitoring voting through webcasting from the Collectorate control room.
- Congress candidate Ghanshyam Singh alleged money and liquor distribution and attempts to disturb polling, while district officials said complaints are being tracked and no untoward incidents have been recorded so far.
- The bypoll fills the seat vacated after former Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti's disqualification; about 2.20 lakh voters across 291 booths are deciding between BJP's Ashutosh Tiwari, Congress's Ghanshyam Singh and 19 other candidates with results to affect local political balance.