- Election Commission announces July 30 by-election to the vacant Vadodara Assembly seat following the demise of BJP MLA Yogeshbhai Patel
- Model Code of Conduct comes into force as political parties gear up for a prestige battle in one of Gujarat’s key urban constituencies
- Nominations open from July 6, scrutiny on July 14, withdrawal by July 16 and counting on August 3
- EVM-VVPAT voting, updated electoral rolls and ‘Know Your Candidates’ disclosures to ensure transparent electoral process
NE POLITICAL BUREAU
NEW DELHI, JULY 2
The political spotlight has shifted to Gujarat’s Manjalpur Assembly constituency after the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday announced that the by-election to the vacant seat will be held on July 30, setting the stage for a closely watched electoral contest in one of Vadodara’s politically significant constituencies.
The vacancy arose following the demise of BJP MLA Yogeshbhai Patel, a prominent political figure whose death necessitated the bypoll. Alongside Manjalpur, by-elections were also announced for Bankipur in Bihar and Datia in Madhya Pradesh, with counting of votes scheduled for August 3 and the entire election process concluding by August 4.
The Election Commission said the notification for the bypoll would be issued on July 6, while nominations can be filed until July 13. Scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on July 14, and candidates may withdraw their nominations until July 16.
Polling across the three Assembly constituencies will be conducted using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) backed by Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) systems.
The Commission said the Model Code of Conduct has come into immediate effect in the districts covering the three constituencies, restricting governments and political parties from announcing measures that could influence voters during the election period.
The ECI also confirmed that the electoral rolls for Manjalpur had already been finalised following the Special Summary Revision, with the final roll published on February 17, 2026. However, continuous updation of the rolls will continue until the last date for filing nominations, subject to the applicable qualifying date.
Voters will be able to establish their identity using the Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) as the primary document. In addition, Aadhaar, passports, driving licences, PAN cards, MGNREGA job cards and other government-approved identity documents will also be accepted at polling stations.
Reiterating its commitment to electoral transparency, the Commission directed that candidates with criminal antecedents must publish details of pending criminal cases in newspapers and television on three occasions during the campaign. Political parties fielding such candidates have also been instructed to publicise the criminal background of their nominees and explain the reasons for selecting them through their official websites, newspapers and social media platforms.
The information will also be available on the Election Commission’s ‘Know Your Candidates’ portal, enabling voters to make informed electoral choices.
The Manjalpur by-election is expected to attract considerable political attention, with the constituency regarded as an influential urban seat in Vadodara, a city that has traditionally been a stronghold of the ruling BJP. Political observers believe the contest will serve as an important test of organisational strength and voter sentiment ahead of future electoral battles in Gujarat.
