The BJP has 21 MPs/MLAs with cases relating to crimes against women, the ADR said. The BJP is followed by the Congress at 16, YSRCP at 7, BJD at 6 and Trinamool Congress at 5.

Between 2009 and 2019, there has been an increase of 231% in the number of candidates with declared cases of crime against women contesting Lok Sabha elections. The number elected as MPs has increased 9 times, according to an analysis by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and the National Election Watch.

For current MPs and MLAs, the ADR analysed 4,822 election affidavits (759 MPs and 4,063 MLAs) out of a total of 4,896 (776 MPs and 4,120 MLAs). It found that 76 MPs/MLAs had declared cases of crime against women. Of these, 18 are MPs and 58 are MLAs. Among candidates in MLA, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha elections in the last five years, 572 were found to have declared such cases; none of them has been convicted. Among them, 410 were given tickets by recognised political parties while the remaining 162 were independent candidates. Read this story in Tamil

 Source: ADR

The BJP has 21 MPs/MLAs with cases relating to crimes against women, at 21, the ADR said. The BJP is followed by the Congress at 16, YSRCP at 7, BJD at 6 and Trinamool Congress at 5. In terms of candidates who declared such cases, the BJP fielded 66, followed by the Congress at 46, BSP at 40, CPI(M) at 15, and Shiv Sena and Samajwadi Party at 13 each.

The highest number of MPs/MLAs with declared cases of crime against women are in West Bengal (16), followed by Odisha and Maharashtra (12 each), Andhra Pradesh (8), Telangana (5) and Madhya Pradesh (3). Among candidates in the last five years, 84 facing such cases were fielded from Maharashtra, followed by Bihar (75), West Bengal (69), Uttar Pradesh (61), Odisha (52), Andhra Pradesh (33) and Karnataka (26).

 Source: ADR

In accounting for crime against women, the ADR counted cases of acid attack (IPC Sections 326A & 326B; rape (Sections 375, 376, 376A, 376B, 376C, 376D & 376E); outraging the modesty of a woman (Section 354); sexual harassment (Section 354A); assault on women with intent to disrobe a woman (Section 354B); voyeurism (Section 354C); and stalking (Section 354D).

In the last five years, recognised political parties have given tickets to 41 candidates with declared cases of rape against them. Out of these, nine were elected, three of them as MPs and the other six as MLAs. In addition, 14 independent candidates had declared cases of rape against them.

Source for all data: ADR