The Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) on Saturday stated that at least 251 candidates out of 1590 candidates – about 16 per cent – contesting the Lok Sabha Phase Two election on April 18, have criminal cases against them.

The National Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) have analysed the self-sworn affidavits of 1590 out of 1644 candidates, who are contesting in the Lok Sabha Phase 2.

There are 54 candidates who have not been analysed due to unavailability of their properly scanned and complete affidavits, at the time of making this report.

At least 251(16 per cent) out of 1590 candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves.

There are 167 (11 per cent) out of 1590 who have declared serious criminal cases against themselves.

At least 3 candidates have declared convicted cases against themselves.

There are 6 candidates who have declared cases related to murder (IPC Section -302) against themselves.

There are 25 candidates who have declared cases related to attempt to murder (IPC Section 307) against themselves.

At least 8 candidates who have declared cases related to kidnapping such as kidnapping for ransom, etc. (IPC Section-364A), kidnapping (IPC Section-363), Kidnapping or abducting with an intetnt secretly and wrongfully confine person (IPC Section-365) etc, against themselves.

There are ten candidates who have declared cases related to crime against women such as rape (IPC Section-376), assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty (IPC Section-354), husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty (IPC Section-498A) etc., against themselves.

There are 15 candidates who have declared cases related to hate speech against themselves.

Among the major parties, 16 (31 per cent) out of 51 candidates from BJP, 23(43 per cent) out of 53 candidates from INC, 16(20 per cent) out of 80 candidates from BSP, 3(14 per cent) out of 22 candidates analysed from AIADMK, 11(46 per cent) out of 24 candidates from DMK and 4(36 per cent) out of 11 candidates from SHS have declared criminal cases against themselves.

Among the major parties, 10(20%) out of 51 candidates from BJP, 17(32 per cent) out of 53 candidates from INC, 10(13 per cent) out of 80 candidates from BSP, 3(14 per cent) out of 22 candidates analysed from AIADMK, 7(29 per cent) out of 24 candidates from DMK and 1(9 per cent) out of 11 candidates from SHS have declared serious criminal cases against themselves.

There are 41 out of 97 constituencies red alert constituencies.

Red alert constituencies are those constituencies where three or more contesting candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves. (UNI)