A total of 156 candidates contesting in the first phase Uttar Pradesh elections 2022 have declared criminal cases against themselves, a report by Uttar Pradesh Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) said.  “Out of 615 candidates analysed, 156 (25%) candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves. 121 (20%) have declared serious criminal cases,” said the report which has analysed self-sworn affidavits of 615 candidates out of 623 who are contesting in Phase 1 of Uttar Pradesh elections to be held in 58 constituencies on February 10.

Party-wise candidates with criminal cases

Among the major parties, the Akhiles Yadav-led Samajwadi Party topped the list of candidates with criminal cases, followed by the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD). “Among the major parties, 21(75%) out of 28 candidates analysed from SP, 17(59%) out of 29 candidates analysed from RLD, 29 (51%) out of 57 candidates analysed from BJP, 21 (36%) out of 58 candidates analysed from INC, 19 (34%) out of 56 candidates analysed from BSP and 8 (15%) out of 52 candidates analysed from AAP have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits”, said the ADR report.

In terms of candidates with serious criminal cases, SP has taken lead again with 17 out of 28 candidates (61%) declaring serious cases against themselves. As many as 15 out of 29 candidates (52%) analysed from RLD, 22 out of 57 candidates (39%) from BJP, 11 out of 58 candidates (19%) from Congress, 16 out of 56 candidates (29%) from BSP and five out of 52 candidates (10%) from AAP have declared serious criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits, the report said.

Asset Details of Candidates 

“The role of money power in our elections is evident from the fact that all major political parties give tickets to wealthy candidates. Among the major parties, 28 (97%) out of 29 candidates analysed from RLD, 55 (97%) out of 57 candidates analysed from BJP, 50 (89%) out of 56 candidates analysed from BSP, 23 (82%) out of 28 candidates analysed from SP, 32 (55%) out of 58 candidates analysed from Congress and 22 (42%) out of 52 candidates analysed from AAP have declared assets valued more than Rs 1 crore,” the report added.

High Asset Candidates 

BJP’s Amit Agarwal, contesting from Meerut Cantt, has the highest declared assets in Phase 1. The average of assets per candidate contesting in the first phase of Uttar Pradesh elections is Rs 3.72 crore.

Educational Details of Candidates

239(39%) candidates have declared their educational qualifications to be between 5th and 12th standard while 304 (49%) candidates have declared having an educational qualification of graduate or above. 7 candidates are Diploma holders. 38 candidates have declared themselves to be just literate and 15 candidates are Illiterates. 12 candidates have not given their educational qualifications.

‘No effect of Supreme Court directions on political parties‘

As per the ADR, Supreme Court directions have had no effect on political parties in selection of candidates in phase I of the polls. “All major parties contesting in Uttar Pradesh phase I elections have given tickets to 15 per cent to 75 per cent candidates who have declared criminal cases against themselves. The Supreme Court in its directions dated February 13, 2020, had specifically instructed political parties to give reasons for such selection and why other individuals without criminal antecedents could not be selected as candidates,” it said.

“This data clearly shows that political parties have no interest in reforming the electoral system and the democracy will continue to suffer at the hands of lawbreakers who become lawmakers,” it added.