Up to 27 percent of those 70 candidates who have won the Uttarakhand assembly polls have declared criminal cases against themselves, according to the electoral reform advocacy group Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).
The ADR said that Uttarakhand Election Watch and the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) analyzed the affidavits of the 70 winning candidates.
“Of the 70 winning candidates analyzed in 2022, 19 (27%) winning candidates have declared criminal cases against them. Of the 70 MLAs tested during the Uttarakhand Assembly elections in 2017, 22 (31%) had declared criminal cases against themselves,” the ADR said.
The electoral reform advocacy group further said that 10 (14 percent) of the winning candidates have declared serious criminal cases against themselves.
The ADR said eight (17 percent) of the 47 winning BJP candidates, eight (42 percent) of the 19 winning Congress candidates, one (50 percent) of the two winning BSP candidates and two (100 percent) cent) cent) Winning independent candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.
About five (11 percent) of the 47 winning BJP candidates, four (21 percent) of the 19 winning Congress candidates, and one (50 percent) of the two independent winners have declared serious criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits. , he said.
Of the 70 winning candidates analyzed, 58 (83%) are crorepatis. This number was 51 (73%) in 2017.
The ADR said that 40 (85 percent) of 47 BJP, 15 (79 percent) of 19 Congress, both winning BSP candidates and one (50 percent) of two winning independent candidates have declared assets worth more than of Rs. 1 million rupees
The BJP returned to power in Uttarakhand after winning 47 of 70 seats in the assembly polls.
According to the ADR criteria, a “serious criminal case” refers to any offense for which there is a maximum sentence of five years or more, or if no bail is allowed, an election offense (for example, IPC 171E or bribery). .
Crimes related to loss of treasure, assault, murder, kidnapping, rape related, mentioned in the Representation of the People Act (section 8), those under the Prevention of Corruption Act, and crimes against women also qualify. as “serious criminal cases”.