While this is much lower than the national average of candidates with pending criminal cases — 46% in 2024 Lok Sabha elections — it has gone up from 6% (49 of total 831 analysed by ADR) recorded in the last Assembly elections in J&K in 2014.

AS MANY as 152 or 17% of the total candidates in the three phases of J&K Assembly elections this year have police cases registered against them, according to a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) released Monday.

While this is much lower than the national average of candidates with pending criminal cases — 46% in 2024 Lok Sabha elections — it has gone up from 6% (49 of total 831 analysed by ADR) recorded in the last Assembly elections in J&K in 2014.

The ADR analysed affidavits of 872 candidates out of the total 873 in fray in the ongoing J&K elections. The complete affidavit of one candidate, Sarjan Ahmad Wagay, was not available on the EC site, the ADR said.

In the first phase of elections held on September 18, as many as 36 of the 219 candidates in the fray had criminal records. Twenty-five of them have cases of serious nature against them, ranging from attempt to murder to crimes against woman, including rape. One of them has been named in an FIR under the provisions of POCSO Act, 2012.

Of the 49 candidates with criminal cases in the second phase, 37 have been booked for serious offences. Similarly, of the 67 such candidates contesting elections in the third phase, 52 have criminal cases of serious nature against them.

In view of the presence of such a large number of candidates with pendinding criminal cases, 8 of the 26 constituencies going to polls in the second phase have been declared “red alert” seats.

Likewise, of the 40 constituencies going to polls in the third phase, 11 have been declared “red alert” seats as they have at least three or more candidates with declared criminal cases against them.