STORY HIGHLIGHTS
As many as 22 candidates have declared cases related to murder, while 107 candidates have declared cases related to crimes against women. Of these 107 candidates, five have declared cases related to rape, the study found
Around 29 per cent of the politicians contesting in the ongoing assembly elections in five Indian states are millionaires, while 18 per cent of the contestants have declared criminal cases registered against them, a report by the think-tank Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) stated.
Out of the 1,452 candidates with criminal cases, around 959 (12 per cent) have serious criminal cases registered against them.
The assessment from the election watchdog is based on an analysis of the self-sworn affidavits of 8,051 candidates of the 8,054 candidates who are contesting polls in the five states.
Serious criminal cases are those which have a maximum punishment of five years or more. It also includes offences that are non-bailable, electoral offences, related to loss to the exchequer, assault, murder, kidnap, rape and crimes against women.
As many as 22 candidates have declared cases related to murder, while 107 candidates have declared cases related to crimes against women. Of these 107 candidates, five have declared cases related to rape, the study found.
Telangana leads the pack
The state with the highest number of candidates with criminal cases was found to be in southern Telangana state, with 45 cases related to crimes against women, 27 with cases of attempt to murder and seven murder cases.
This is followed by western Rajasthan state which has 36 candidates registered in crimes against women, 34 with cases of attempt to murder and four murder cases.
In Madhya Pradesh, 24 candidates have cases related to crimes against women, 17 with cases of attempt to murder and 10 murder cases.
In Chhattisgarh, four candidates are booked for attempt to murder, two for crimes against women and one in a murder case.
Among the five poll-bound states, north-eastern Mizoram state has the lowest number of candidates with criminal records. Between 3 per cent and 10% of candidates from major parties have criminal cases against them.
Parties failed to adhere to SC's 2020 order
None of the candidates in the North East state have declared cases related to crimes against women, attempts to murder and murder, the study found.
The think tank also noted that none of the parties have adhered to the 2020 Supreme Court guidelines that mandated the political parties to give reasons for the selection of such candidates and why other persons without criminal history could not be fielded in the polls instead.
"The directions of the Supreme Court have had no effect on the political parties in selection of candidates in the five state Assembly elections in 2023 as they have again followed their old practice of giving tickets to candidates with criminal cases. All major parties contesting in the five state Assembly elections have given tickets to candidates who have declared criminal cases against themselves," the report said.
It said 2,371 (29 per cent) candidates are "crorepatis", which means they have assets worth more than Rs 10 million. The average worth of assets of such candidates is Rs 33 million.