There were 1,001 candidates in the recently held assembly elections in Karnataka, of whom 345 (34 per cent) are facing criminal cases. These candidates belonged to eight parties including BJP, Congress, AAP and JD-S. This has been said in the report of Karnataka Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).

According to the report, out of 1,001 candidates belonging to eight political parties, 220 (22 per cent) have declared serious criminal cases against themselves in the affidavit while filing nomination papers.

Of the 345 candidates with criminal cases, 287 (83 per cent) have submitted reasons, the report said. Of the 220 candidates with serious criminal cases, 191 (87 per cent) have given details of incidents and 58 (17 per cent) have disclosed criminal antecedents.

According to the report, Manikant Rathore, BJP candidate from Chittapur assembly constituency, has 45 cases registered and 15 other cases are of serious nature.

Sitting minister and three-time MLA from Bellary, B. Nagendra has 105 cases of serious nature registered against him.

The report states that among the candidates with criminal antecedents, the Congress had 123 candidates, the BJP 96, the Janata Dal-Secular 71, the Aam Aadmi Party 48, the BSP, AIMIM and CPI-MLK two each and the CPI-M one. .