New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress top the list of major political parties fielding higher number of candidates with alleged criminal records in the Gujarat polls.
A report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) showed that participation of candidates having alleged criminal records has gone up over the last five years in the Gujarat poll battle.
Of the 1,621 candidates analysed in Gujarat Assembly elections, 330(20 per cent) candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves. In 2017, out of 1,815 candidates analysed, 253(14 per cent) had done so.
Among the major parties, 61 (34 per cent)out of 181 candidates analysed from AAP, 60 (34 per cent) out of 179 candidates analysed from Congress, 32 (18 per cent) out of 182 candidates from BJP and 8 (31 per cent)out of the 26 candidates from Bhartiya Tribal Party have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.
The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Gujarat Election Watch have analysed the self-sworn affidavits of all 1621 candidates, who are contesting in the Gujarat Assembly Elections Phase I and II. Out of 1621 candidates analysed, 476 are from national parties, 219 are from state parties, 302 are from registered unrecognised parties and 624 candidates are contesting independently.
The report said that 192 (12 per cent) candidates have declared serious criminal cases. In 2017, Gujarat Assembly Elections, 154 (8 per cent) candidates had declared serious criminal cases against themselves.
Similarly, among the major parties, 43 (24 per cent) out of 181 candidates analysed from AAP, 28 (16 per cent) out of 179 candidates analysed from Congress, 25 (14 per cent) out of 182 candidates analysed from BJP and 2 (8 per cent) out of 26 candidates analysed from Bhartiya Tribal Party have declared serious criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.
As per the report, total 18 candidates have declared cases related to crime against women and out of 18 candidates, one candidate has declared case related to rape (IPC Section-376). Similarly, five candidates have declared cases related to murder (IPC Section-302) against themselves and 20 candidates have declared cases related to Attempt to murder (IPC Section-307 against themselves.
Total 44 (24 per cent) out of 182 constituencies are Red alert constituencies. Red alert constituencies are those where three or more contesting candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves.
–IANS