16% of LS polls candidates of phase 1 declared criminal cases
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Representational picture (DNA).
New Delhi: The Association for Democratic Reforms published a report on Monday suggesting that 252 out of 1,618 candidates who are contesting in the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls 2024 have criminal cases filed against them, Scroll reported.
That is, 16 per cent of the contesting candidates are involved in criminal cases, the report stated, after the organisation analysed affidavits filed by 1,618 out of 1,625 candidates who are contesting in the first phase of the elections in 21 states.
The report also analysed the share of wealth among the 1,618 candidates and found that 450 or 28 per cent of them have declared assets worth more than a crore. Around 35 per cent, or 573 candidates, declared that they have assets worth less than Rs 10 lakh, while 10 candidates declared zero assets.
According to the report, 161 candidates have declared serious criminal cases registered against themselves. Out of the 252 mentioned, seven declared cases related to murder, 19 were named in attempted murder cases, and 18 were accused of crimes against women. One of them declared cases related to rape.
The report said that 22 of the 77 BJP candidates and 19 of the Congress candidates have declared criminal cases against them. When all four candidates of Rashtriya Janata Dal declared criminal cases against themselves, 13 of 22 candidates of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and three of seven candidates of Samajwadi Party did the same.
In Trinamool Congress, two out of five candidates of the first phase declared criminal cases against themselves. But for All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, 13 out of 36 candidates did so, while 11 out of 86 candidates of Bahujan Samaj Party.
Further, Association For Democratic Reforms revealed that 42 or 41 per cent of 102 constituencies that are going to the polling booths in the first phase are red alert constituencies. If three or more candidates contesting in a constituency have declared criminal cases against themselves, it is classified as a “red alert”.