The Election Commission of India is overseeing the counting of votes for three important Assembly by-elections held in Bankipur, Datia and Manjalpur. The latest ECI results show a confirmed BJP victory in Manjalpur, a strong lead for Prashant Kishor in Bankipur, and Congress ahead in Datia as counting approaches completion.
The Election Commission of India had scheduled polling for July 30, 2026, while vote counting began at 8:00 AM on August 3. According to the official schedule, the entire election process must be completed by August 4, 2026.
Election Commission of India Conducts Three Assembly Bypolls
The latest by-elections were conducted in the following Assembly constituencies:
- Bankipur Assembly constituency in Bihar
- Datia Assembly constituency in Madhya Pradesh
- Manjalpur Assembly constituency in Gujarat
The ECI issued formal notifications for these elections on July 6. The deadline for filing nominations was July 13, scrutiny took place on July 14, and candidates were permitted to withdraw their nominations until July 16.
Polling was conducted between 7:00 AM and 6:00 PM on July 30. The Election Commission of India also directed the respective state authorities to provide paid leave to eligible voters and observe dry-day rules during the legally specified period.
ECI Declares Manjalpur Bypoll Result
The first confirmed result came from Gujarat’s Manjalpur Assembly constituency, where Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Satish Govindbhai Patel secured a decisive victory.
Patel received 55,481 votes, while Congress candidate Bhikhabhai Rabari obtained 24,851 votes. The BJP candidate won the seat by a margin of 30,630 votes after the completion of 20 counting rounds.
The result allows the BJP to retain the Manjalpur seat. The wide margin also indicates that the party maintained considerable electoral support in this part of Vadodara despite the lower participation commonly associated with some by-elections.
For the Election Commission of India, the completion of counting in Manjalpur represented the first final result among the three constituencies included in the August 2026 bypoll programme.
ECI Trends Show Prashant Kishor Leading in Bankipur
Bankipur emerged as the most closely watched constituency because Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor was contesting his first direct election.
According to the latest counting update available at 4:39 PM IST, Kishor was leading BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar Sinha by nearly 16,000 votes after 26 of the scheduled 31 counting rounds. The RJD candidate remained in third position.
The Bankipur result is politically significant because the constituency has traditionally been considered a strong BJP seat. A final victory for Prashant Kishor would provide the Jan Suraaj Party with an important electoral breakthrough while strengthening Kishor’s position as an active politician rather than only a campaign strategist.
However, the lead should not be described as a final result until the remaining rounds are completed and the ECI officially marks the candidate as “won” on its results portal.
Election Commission of India Update on Datia
The Datia contest in Madhya Pradesh witnessed changing leads during the early counting rounds. BJP candidate Ashutosh Tiwari led initially, but Congress candidate Ghanshyam Singh moved ahead as more electronic voting machine results were added.
At the official ECI update published at 5:09 PM IST, Ghanshyam Singh had received 64,808 votes and was leading Ashutosh Tiwari by 7,531 votes. The BJP candidate had obtained 57,277 votes after 14 of 15 EVM rounds.
Damodar Yadav of the Aazad Samaj Party was in third position with 21,870 votes. Because one EVM round remained at that official update, Ghanshyam Singh was still listed as “leading” rather than “won” by the Election Commission of India.
The Datia outcome carries political importance for both major parties. Congress is seeking to secure the constituency, while the BJP is attempting to maintain its influence in an area associated with several prominent state-level leaders.
How ECI Publishes Election Results
The Election Commission of India publishes constituency-level counting information through its official results platform. The portal displays candidate names, political parties, vote totals, margins and the number of completed EVM rounds.
The ECI states that the information displayed during counting is entered into the system by Returning Officers from their respective counting centres. It also clarifies that the final data for each Parliamentary or Assembly constituency will be provided through Form 20.
This distinction is important during live counting. A candidate may hold a large lead, but the result remains provisional until all required rounds are completed and the official status changes from “leading” to “won.”
Readers should therefore rely on the Election Commission of India portal rather than unverified social-media graphics or unofficial result claims.
Why the Latest ECI Results Matter
These three by-elections involve only a small number of Assembly seats, but their political effects could extend beyond the individual constituencies.
The Manjalpur victory strengthens the BJP’s position in Gujarat. The emerging Bankipur result could establish Prashant Kishor and Jan Suraaj as a more serious electoral force in Bihar. Meanwhile, a Congress victory in Datia would offer the party a significant morale boost in Madhya Pradesh.
By-elections also help political parties evaluate voter sentiment between major state or national elections. Candidate selection, local governance, organisational strength and voter participation can all influence the outcome.
The latest ECI figures therefore provide more than constituency-level results. They also offer early indications of changing political competition in Bihar, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.
Role of the Election Commission of India
The Election Commission of India is a permanent constitutional body responsible for supervising, directing and controlling elections to Parliament, state legislatures and the offices of the President and Vice-President.
Its responsibilities include announcing election schedules, supervising nominations, enforcing electoral rules, organising polling, monitoring counting and publishing official results.
During the August 2026 by-elections, the ECI coordinated the election process across three states and provided a central platform through which voters, candidates and news organisations could follow official counting updates.
What Happens After Counting Ends?
Once every counting round is completed, the Returning Officer verifies the totals and formally declares the result. The Election Commission of India results portal then changes the successful candidate’s status from “leading” to “won.”
Final constituency data is subsequently documented in Form 20. This document contains the official result sheet and provides the complete vote record required for formal electoral documentation.
Until this process is completed, media reports should clearly distinguish between a candidate who is leading and a candidate whose victory has been officially declared by the ECI.
Conclusion
The Election Commission of India has successfully brought the August 2026 Assembly by-elections into their final counting stage. BJP candidate Satish Govindbhai Patel has officially won Manjalpur by 30,630 votes. Prashant Kishor holds a commanding lead in Bankipur, while Congress candidate Ghanshyam Singh remains ahead in Datia according to the latest available ECI figures.
