Of the total 845 candidates in the fray for April 24 Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu, just 53, mere seven per cent, are women candidates, according to an analysis by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and TN Election Watch (TNEW).

“In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, there were 48 women candidates in Tamil Nadu which was almost the same number as is seen today,” said Sudarsan Padmanabhan, Coordinator of TNEW, which along with ADR analysed the criminal, financial and other background details of candidates.

The analysis, which excluded the affidavit of Aaam Aadmi Party (AAP) nominee M Jesuraj for want of complete papers, found 103 candidates or 12 per cent had declared criminal cases against them as against 63 in 2009.

Also, there are 53 candidates, six per cent, with serious criminal cases such as murder, attempt to murder, and kidnapping.

Nine (23 per cent) out of 39 candidates fielded by Congress have criminal cases against them. Two (22 per cent) out of nine candidates from BJP, seven (18 per cent) of 39 candidates from AIADMK, six (18 per cent) out of 34 candidates from the DMK, and four (17 per cent) out of 23 candidates from AAP and five (36 per cent) out of 14 candidates of DMDK have criminal cases against them.

Eighteen out of 39 constituencies in Tamil Nadu have at least three candidates with declared criminal cases.

As regards financial background of candidates, 178 (21 per cent) are crorepatis against 98 crorepatis in 2009 elections.

Fortyseven per cent of the candidates are 12th class pass or below while 45 per cent are graduates or above. A total of 21 candidates have declared that they are illiterate.