A joint study released by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch (NEW) has analysed the election affidavits of 8,163 Lok Sabha candidates and found that 1,398 (17 per cent) of the candidates out of them had criminal cases against themselves. In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, 1,158 (15 per cent) candidates had declared criminal cases against themselves.

The study says that 889 (11 per cent) candidates have declared serious criminal cases including cases related to murder, attempt to murder, communal disharmony, kidnapping, crimes against women etc. while the figure was 608 (eight per cent) in the 2009 elections. Presently, 57 candidates have declared cases related to murder and 173 have declared cases of attempt to murder. Not only this, 58 candidates have declared cases related to crimes against women while six candidates have declared cases of rape. Additionally, 54 candidates are facing the charges of causing communal disharmony.

It also adds that 57 candidates have declared cases related to robbery and dacoity while 40 have declared cases related to kidnapping. These candidates are found across party lines. A total of 128 (28 per cent) out of 462 candidates from Congress, 140 (33 per cent) out of 426 candidates from BJP, 65 (15 per cent) out of 427 candidates from AAP, 114 (23 per cent) out of 501 candidates from BSP and 307 (10 per cent) out of 3182 Independent candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.

There is also an increase in number of crorepati candidates. Out of the 8,163 candidates analysed, 2,208 (27 per cent) are crorepatis. The average assets of re-contesting candidates have shot up to Rs 14.29 crore as against Rs 5.82 crores in the last election.

Commenting on this, city-based RTI activist Krishnaraj Rao said, “The business of politics has become a cover for many illegal activities and the time has come when a central agency like CBI should be authorised to keep a vigil over the wealth and criminality of the MPs”.