Delhi HC rejects Rajendra Bharti's plea, clears Datia Assembly bypoll path
Synopsis
The Delhi High Court's dismissal of Rajendra Bharti's petition does more than uphold a fraud conviction — it locks in a politically charged bypoll in Datia that neither the BJP nor Congress has fully prepared for. With nominations opening immediately and voting on 3 August, the ruling compresses the campaign window and forces both parties to name candidates under pressure.
Key Takeaways
The Delhi High Court dismissed former Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti's petition on 10 July , upholding his conviction in the 1998 Datia Cooperative Rural Development Bank FD fraud case.
Bharti was convicted on 1 April and sentenced to three years' imprisonment , triggering automatic disqualification under the Representation of the People Act .
Chidambaram argued the dispute was civil in nature and referenced a prior Supreme Court settlement, but the High Court declined to interfere.
The Datia Assembly bypoll is now confirmed: nominations close 13 July , voting on 3 August , counting on 6 August .
The contest is expected to be a straight fight between the BJP and Congress ; neither party had announced a candidate as of the ruling.
The Delhi High Court on Friday, 10 July dismissed a petition filed by former Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti challenging his conviction in the 1998 Datia Cooperative Rural Development Bank fixed deposit fraud case, effectively clearing the path for the Datia Assembly by-election in Madhya Pradesh to proceed as scheduled. The ruling ends the legal uncertainty that had hung over the bypoll since Bharti's disqualification earlier this year.
Background: The Conviction That Triggered the Bypoll
A special court in Delhi convicted Bharti on 1 April under provisions of the Indian Penal Code relating to criminal conspiracy, cheating, and forgery. The following day, the court sentenced him to three years' imprisonment and imposed a fine.
Under the Representation of the People Act, legislators sentenced to two years or more in prison face automatic disqualification. Bharti's disqualification as an MLA followed swiftly, rendering the Datia Assembly seat vacant and prompting the Election Commission of India (ECI) to announce the by-election.
What the Fraud Case Involves
According to the prosecution, the case centres on alleged irregularities in a fixed deposit held at the Datia Cooperative Rural Development Bank. Prosecutors alleged that bank records were tampered with to extend the tenure of the deposit and claim interest. At the time of the alleged offences, Bharti served as both chairman of the bank's Board of Directors and a trustee of the institution.
Bharti's Defence and the Court's Response
Senior advocate P. Chidambaram, appearing for Bharti, argued before the High Court that the dispute was civil rather than criminal in nature. He submitted that the bank had previously treated the matter as a civil dispute before the Supreme Court, where the parties had reached a settlement. Chidambaram further noted that the settlement amount had not yet been received and the fixed deposit remained with the bank.
The High Court, however, declined to interfere with the trial court's order and dismissed the petition outright.
Datia Bypoll Schedule and Political Stakes
With the legal hurdle now cleared, the Datia bypoll will proceed on its announced timeline. Nominations can be filed until 13 July, scrutiny is scheduled for 15 July, and the last date for withdrawal is 17 July. Voting is set for 3 August, with counting of votes on 6 August.
The contest is expected to be a direct fight between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress. Neither party had announced its candidate as of the court's ruling, though both are expected to do so before the nomination deadline. The seat's outcome will be watched as a gauge of political sentiment in the region ahead of future state-level contests.
Point of View
While BJP enters the bypoll as the incumbent party in the state with organisational advantage. The Datia result will be read as a litmus test for Congress's recovery in Madhya Pradesh after its 2023 assembly drubbing, making the candidate choice in the next 72 hours arguably as consequential as the court's verdict itself.
NationPress
10 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Delhi High Court dismiss Rajendra Bharti's petition?
The Delhi High Court dismissed Bharti's petition because it declined to interfere with the trial court's conviction order in the 1998 Datia Cooperative Rural Development Bank FD fraud case. His senior counsel's argument that the matter was civil in nature and had been settled before the Supreme Court did not persuade the High Court to stay the conviction.
What was Rajendra Bharti convicted of?
Bharti was convicted by a special court in Delhi on 1 April under Indian Penal Code provisions relating to criminal conspiracy, cheating, and forgery. The case relates to alleged tampering of bank records at the Datia Cooperative Rural Development Bank to extend a fixed deposit's tenure and claim interest, when Bharti was the bank's board chairman and a trustee.
When is the Datia Assembly bypoll scheduled?
Voting in the Datia Assembly bypoll is scheduled for 3 August, with counting of votes on 6 August. Nominations can be filed until 13 July, scrutiny is on 15 July, and the withdrawal deadline is 17 July.
Who are the expected contestants in the Datia bypoll?
The bypoll is expected to be a direct contest between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress. As of the court's ruling on 10 July, neither party had announced its candidate, with both expected to do so before the 13 July nomination deadline.
How did Bharti's conviction lead to the bypoll?
Under the Representation of the People Act, any legislator sentenced to two years or more in prison is automatically disqualified. Bharti's three-year sentence on 2 April led to his disqualification as an MLA, vacating the Datia Assembly seat and prompting the Election Commission of India to schedule the by-election.
