Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Out of the 1,618 candidates, 16 per cent or 252 candidates are named in criminal cases, with 10 per cent or 161 candidates facing serious criminal charges.

Forty-two of the 102 Lok Sabha seats going to polls in the first phase have three or more candidates facing criminal cases, according to a poll rights body - ADR. The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) analysed the affidavits of 1,618 candidates out of the 1,625 contesting the elections in its first phase on April 19.

Out of the 1,618 candidates, 16 per cent or 252 candidates are named in criminal cases, with 10 per cent or 161 candidates facing serious criminal charges.

Seven candidates have murder cases lodged against them, while 19 are implicated in attempt to murder cases. Eighteen candidates have declared in their affidavits cases related to crimes against women, and one of them, faces rape charge under section 376 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the ADR said.

The organisation said that 35 candidates are linked to cases of hate speech. The analysis showed that 42 or 41 per cent of the 102 seats scheduled to go to polls in the first of the seven-phase elections are "red alert" constituencies.

"Red alert" constituencies are those where three or more contesting candidates have declared criminal cases in their affidavits.

Among major parties, there are criminal cases against all four candidates of Tejashwi Yadav-led the RJD, 13 (59 per cent) of 22 candidates of MK Stalin's DMK, three (43 per cent) of seven candidates of Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party, two (40 per cent) of five candidates of Mamata Banerjee-led TMC, 28 (36 per cent) of 77 candidates of the BJP and 19 (34 per cent) of 56 candidates of the Congress.

The number stood at 13 (36 per cent) out of 36 candidates of the AIADMK and 11 (13 per cent) out of 86 candidates of Mayawati's BSP.

The ADR said the analysis also highlights wealth disparities among candidates. According to affidavits, the report said around 28 per cent of candidates in the polls' first phase are "crorepatis" with assets exceeding Rs 1 crore. The average assets per candidate stands at Rs 4.51 crores, with notable discrepancies observed across party lines.

More than Rs 1 crore assets have been declared by all four candidates of the RJD, 35 (97 per cent) of 36 candidates of the AIADMK, 21 (96 per cent) of 22 candidates of the DMK, 69 (90 per cent) of 77 candidates of the BJP, 49 (88 per cent) of 56 candidates of the Congress, four (80 per cent) of five candidates of the TMC and 18 (21 per cent) of 86 candidates of the BSP.

Congress candidate Nakul Nath contesting from Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh has declared the highest Rs 716 crore worth of assets followed by AIADMK' Erode (Tamil Nadu) candidate Ashok Kumar with assets worth Rs 662 crore. BJP candidate Dhevanathan Yadav T, contesting from Sivaganga in Tamil Nadu, has assets worth Rs 304 crore.