18% candidates contesting assembly polls in 5 states have criminal cases: ADR

Telangana has the highest number of candidates with criminal records, between 24% to 72% of candidates from all major parties contesting elections have declared criminal cases against them

As many as 18% candidates of the total 8,054 contesting upcoming elections in Mizoram, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Telangana have criminal cases registered against them, a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and the National Election Watch stated.

The results for all 679 seats across the five states will be declared on Sunday. (Representative file image)

12% have declared serious criminal cases while 29% are crorepatis with an average assets worth ₹3.36 crore, the report added.

“The directions of the Supreme Court have had no effect on the political parties in selection of candidates in the five states assembly elections 2023 as they have again followed their old practice of giving tickets to candidates with criminal cases.” states the report.

Putting this into perspective, the Supreme Court had in 2020 instructed political parties to provide legitimate reasons for giving tickets to candidates with criminal records.

The polling for all the five states barring Telangana, has been concluded with the latter going to vote on November 30.

The results for all 679 seats across the five states will be declared on Sunday.

Telangana has the highest number of candidates with criminal records, between 24% to 72% of candidates from all major parties contesting elections in the state have declared criminal cases against them.

This includes 45 cases related to crimes against women, 27 attempt to murder cases and 7 murder cases.

The figures are lowest for Mizoram, where between 3% and 10% of candidates from major parties have criminal records, and none of the candidates have declared cases related to crimes against women, attempt to murder and murder.

68% of candidates from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) have criminal cases against them while 43% have declared serious criminal cases.

Telangana’s Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has the second-highest proportion of candidates with criminal histories, at 48%, followed by the Congress, the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) and AAP (Aam Aadmi Party).

The report also states that while 29% of all candidates are crorepatis, 65% of those representing national political parties and 52% of those representing state political parties have declared assets worth more than ₹1 crore. Only 14% of independent candidates are crorepatis.