Out of the 174 candidates analysed, who are fighting for the 40-member Mizoram Assembly, seven have declared criminal cases against themselves, while 114 have assets more than Rs one crore, a report revealed on Monday.
The report has been prepared by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Mizoram Election Watch which analysed the self-sworn affidavits of all 174 candidates, who are contesting in the Mizoram 2023 Assembly Elections.
It said that out of 174 candidates analysed, 67 are from national parties, 40 from state parties, 40 from registered unrecognized parties and 27 candidates are contesting independently. “Out of the 174 candidates analysed, seven (four per cent) candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves,” it said.
It said that in 2018 Mizoram Assembly Elections, out of 209 candidates analysed, nine (four per cent) had declared criminal cases against themselves. Seven candidates, who have declared criminal cases, have declared serious criminal cases. In the 2018 Mizoram Assembly Elections, four (two per cent) candidates had declared serious criminal cases against themselves, it pointed out.
The report said that four (10 per cent) out of 40 candidates analysed from Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM), two (nine per cent) out of 23 candidates analysed from BJP, and one (three per cent) out of 40 candidates analysed from MNF have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.
The report stated, “Four (10 per cent) out of 40 candidates analysed from ZPM, two (nine per cent) out of 23 candidates analysed from BJP and one (three per cent) out of 40 candidates analysed from MNF have declared serious criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.
“Out of the 174 candidates analysed, 114 (66 per cent) are crorepatis,” the report said, highlighting that in 2018 Mizoram Assembly elections, out of 209 candidates, 116 (56 per cent) were crorepatis. The report stated that the role of money power in our elections is evident from the fact that all political parties give tickets to wealthy candidates.
“Among the major parties 36 (90 per cent) out of 40 candidates analysed from MNF, 33 (83 per cent) out of 40 candidates analysed from Congress, 29 (73 per cent) out of 40 candidates analysed from ZPM, nine (39 per cent) out of 23 candidates analysed from BJP, one (25 per cent) out of four candidates analysed from AAP and six (22 per cent) out of 27 Independent candidates analysed have declared assets valued more than Rs one crore,” the report stated. It also pointed out that the average assets per candidate contesting in the Mizoram Assembly elections 2023 is Rs 4.90 crore.