Twenty-two percent, or 199 out of the 904 candidates contesting the seventh phase of the Lok Sabha elections on June 1 have declared criminal cases against themselves, non-governmental organisation Association for Democratic Reforms said in a report on Monday.
The Association for Democratic Reforms and the National Election Watch analysed the self-sworn affidavits of all 904 candidates contesting the seventh phase in seven states and one Union territory.
Voting will take place in Bihar, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal in the final phase of the Lok Sabha elections.
The report found that 151, or 17% out of the 904 candidates, have declared serious criminal cases against themselves.
The poll watchdog classified serious criminal offences as those that have a maximum punishment of five years or more, are non-bailable, or related to loss to exchequer. Serious offences also include assault, murder, kidnap, rape related, or those mentioned in the Representation of the People Act. They also include offences under Prevention of Corruption Act and crimes against women.
Thirteen candidates in the seventh phase have declared cases where they have been convicted, according to the report. Four candidates have declared cases against themselves related to murder. While 27 candidates have declared cases related to attempt to murder, 25 have declared cases related to hate speech.
Thirteen candidates contesting in the final phase of the polls have declared cases related to crime against women. Out of these 13 candidates, two have declared charges related to rape, the report said.
Among major parties, five out of the 13 candidates of the Aam Aadmi Party in this phase have criminal cases against them, out of whom four have declared serious criminal cases in their affidavit.
While seven out of the nine candidates of the Samajwadi Party have criminal charges against them, out of whom six have declared serious criminal charges, 23 out of the 51 candidates from the Bharatiya Janata Party have criminal charges. Eighteen of them have declared serious criminal charges.
Seven out of nine candidates of the Trinamool Congress have criminal cases, and three of them have serious criminal charges.
Five out of the eight candidates of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and eight out of the 13 candidates of the Shiromani Akali Dal have declared criminal cases in their affidavit.
Twelve out of the Congress’ 31 candidates, two out of the Biju Janata Dal’s six candidates, two out of the seven candidates from the Communist Party of India and 13 out of the 56 candidates from the Bahujan Samaj Party have declared criminal cases against themselves.
The report found that 39 out of the 57 constituencies going to polls in the sixth phase are “red alert” constituencies, where three or more candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves.
Asset analysis
According to the report, 299 out of the 904 candidates have declared assets worth more than Rs 1 crore.
All 13 candidates of the Shiromani Akali Dal, all 13 candidates of the Aam Aadmi Party, all six candidates of the Biju Janata Dal and all nine candidates fielded by the Samajwadi Party have declared assets over Rs 1 crore.
Thirty out of the Congress’ 31 candidates, eight out of the nine candidates of the Trinamool Congress, 44 out of the BJP’s 51 candidates, four out of the eight candidates of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and 22 out of the 56 analysed candidates from the Bahujan Samaj Party have declared assets worth more than Rs 1 crore.
The richest candidate contesting the seventh phase is Shiromani Akali Dal’s Harsimrat Kaur Badal with assets worth over 198 crore, the report said.
BJP’s Baijayant Panda is the second-richest candidate with assets worth more than Rs 148 crore followed by the Hindutva party’s Sanjay Tandon, the candidate from Chandigarh, with assets worth over Rs 111 crore.
The poorest candidate contesting the polls is Bhanumati Das from Odisha’s Utkal Samaj party with declared assets worth Rs 1,500.
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