Only 9 per cent of the 1,352 candidates contesting in the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections are women, while 18 per cent have declared criminal cases against themselves, ADR said in a new report.

According to an analysis of details of candidates contesting in the third phase by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and The National Election Watch, seven candidates have also declared prior convictions.

The third phase of elections will be held on May 7.

Of the 244 candidates with criminal records, five face murder-related charges while 24 have been booked for attempt to murder.

Additionally, 38 candidates have been linked to crimes against women and 1 has been declared a case related to hate speech.

The analysis, based on self-affidavits of 1,352 candidates, has highlighted trends of criminality and wealth accumulation among political candidates.The prevalence of criminal cases varies significantly across major political parties, with the figures highlighting trends among candidates from major parties such as the BJP, Congress and the Samajwadi Party.

The report also highlighted the disparity in the financial backgrounds of the candidates.

It revealed that 29 per cent or 392 candidates are "crorepatis", with the average wealth per candidate being Rs 5.66 crore.

The top three candidates in terms of declared assets have assets worth hundreds of crores of rupees, with the highest declared assets amounting to over Rs 1,361 crore.

After filing nomination and affidavit, the Congress candidate from Indore has withdrawn his candidature.The analysis also highlights the educational and demographic background of the candidates.

The report shows that 47 per cent or 639 candidates have educational qualification from class 5 to 12, while 44 per cent or 591 have graduation or higher educational qualification.

Age-wise, 30 per cent or 411 candidates fall in the 25-40 years age bracket, while 53 per cent or 712 candidates fall between 41 to 60 years.

The report also highlights the gender disparity in candidate selection with only 123 per cent or so of women contesting in the third phase.

In response to these findings, ADR has proposed stringent measures to address the criminalization of politics, including permanent disqualification of candidates convicted of heinous crimes and tax exemptions for political parties fielding "tainted" candidates. Including cancellation.The report underlined the urgent need for accountability and transparency in India's political landscape, emphasizing the importance of electoral reforms to maintain the integrity of the democratic process.