Assembly Bypolls 2023 | 16 Candidates Comprising 38% Of Total Contestants In The Fray Face Criminal Cases: Report

Source

English Jagran

https://english.jagran.com/india/assembly-bypolls-2023-16-candidates-comprising-38-per-cent-of-total-contestants-in-the-fray-face-criminal-cases-report-10096098

Author

Radha Basnet

Date

08/25/2023 - 12:00

Assembly Bypolls 2023: Bypolls to seven assembly seats in six states will be held on September 5. The counting of votes will take place on September 8.

Assembly Bypolls 2023: As the bye-election to seven assembly constituencies including the one vacated following the death of Congress veteran and former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy is scheduled to be held next month, a total of 16 candidates out of 42 contesting the bypolls have declared criminal cases against them.

Out of 16, 11 have serious charges against them, a report revealed on Friday. In a report, the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch (NEW) said that it has analysed the self-sworn affidavits of 42 out of 43 candidates from seven Assembly constituencies of six state bypolls.

There are 16 candidates, who account for 38 per cent of the total, declared criminal cases against themselves, the report stated. "Out of these, 11 (26 per cent) have declared serious criminal cases against themselves," the report said, as quoted by news agency IANS.

According to the report, 10 (24 per cent) of the 42 candidates running in the bye-elections are crorepatis. The report further highlighted that the average assets per candidate is Rs 1.08 crore whereas 19 candidates have declared liabilities. The report further said that out of 42, five candidates are women, which is 12 per cent.

The bypolls will be held for two seats in Tripura, and one seat each in Kerala, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand will be held on September 5. The bye-election to the Dumri assembly seat in Jharkhand was following the death of sitting MLA Jagarnath Mahto.

Boxanagar and Dhanpur seats in Tripura will go for bypoll due to the demise of sitting MLA Samsul Haque and the resignation of Pratima Bhoumik, the Election Commission said. The counting of votes will take place on September 8.

A maximum of 10 candidates are in the fray for the Ghosi Assembly seat, compared to seven in Dhupguri, six each in Dhumri and Puthuppally, four each in Boxanagar and Dhanpur, and five in the Bageshwar Assembly constituency.