E-Paper
91 with criminal record in fray for Apr 26 Karnataka polls
The BJP heads the list with 21 candidates, the JD (S) follows with 19 and the Congress with 12, as per a report released by an NGO.
Ninety one candidates with a criminal record are in the fray for the second phase of assembly polls in Karnataka on April 26, a non-governmental body said.
Among the major parties, the BJP heads the list with 21 candidates having a criminal record, the JD (S) follows with 19 and the Congress with 12, the report released by Karnataka Election Watch Committee (KEC) said.
Of the 104 assembly constituencies going to polls in the second round, the KEC was able to get information from 98 constituencies and the report was based on self-declared, sworn affidavits filed by the candidates themselves, KEC said.
Releasing the report to reporters, KEC convenor Trilochan Sastry said considering candidates from all parties and the independents, the violent crimes include four of murder under IPC 302, seven of attempt to murder under IPC 307 and 70 for violent actions like assault, causing grievous hurt and use of dangerous weapons.
When pointed out that several of the candidates could be facing cases for holding dharnas, rasta roko or rallies or some other political activity of similar nature, he said Parliament had classified such offences as crimes under the Indian Penal Code.
The report said if charges for rioting under sections 143, 144 and 147 or charges for rioting with deadly weapons under 148, were to be added, the number "shoots up". Such cases were usually dismissed by political parties as "political" in nature for holding rallies, defying propitiatory orders, rasta roko and dharnas, it noted.
As for the second phase of Lok Sabha polls in 13 constituencies, the report said there were eight candidates with a criminal record against them.
On the financial record, the report said of the 706 candidates for whom the data was available, 58 of them or 8.2 per cent had either not declared any assets at all or have not given the market value of their assets.
KEC members Shivashankar Bhatt and Sadashiva, both former High Court judges, social activist Dr Sudarshan, former Planning Commission member LC Jain and former state chief secretary TR Satish Chandran were present.
