As per an overall report, 972 of 6,043 candidates with criminal backgrounds have fought parliamentary or state assembly elections in Gujarat since 2004.

The upcoming Gujarat assembly election is scheduled to be held in two phases on December 1 and 5, 2022. Different kinds of previous data are being revealed amid the Gujarat assembly polls. As per an overall report, 972 of 6,043 candidates with criminal backgrounds have fought parliamentary or state assembly elections in Gujarat since 2004. This was stated by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) in its report. In fact, 511 candidates were involved in serious criminal cases.

The average assets of the candidates were Rs. 1.71 crore, and those of lawmakers were Rs. 5.99 crore. The average assets of candidates with criminal cases were Rs. 3.81 crore, and those with serious ones were Rs. 5.34 crore.

All the leading parties’ candidates are involved in criminal activities. As many as 162 candidates of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), 212 members of Congress, 65 Bahujan Samaj Party, seven Aam Aadmi Party, and 37 members of the Gujarat Parivartan Party have contested elections with criminal cases against them since 2004.

The report also makes it clear that only 383 women candidates have contested elections, of who 21 faced criminal charges. There have been 63 women lawmakers in Gujarat since 2004.