As many as 453 candidates have declared liabilities in their affidavits: Report (Representational)

Over 30 per cent of 1,064 candidates in the first phase of the Bihar Assembly election have declared criminal cases against themselves, according to a report by poll rights group Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).

Twenty-three per cent or 244 candidates have declared serious criminal cases against themselves, it said. Serious criminal cases are non-bailable offences with over five years of imprisonment. As many as 328 or 31 per cent candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves.

A total of 375 or 35 per cent have given their financial assets worth crores of rupees while five candidates have declared zero assets, the report said.

According to the report, 30 (73 per cent) out of 41 candidates analysed from the RJD have declared criminal cases against themselves and 22 (54 per cent) have declared serious criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.

About 21 (72 per cent) out of 29 candidates analysed from the BJP have declared criminal cases against themselves and 13 (45 per cent) have declared serious criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits, the report said.