Voting in Phase II of the 2091 Lok Sabha election is being held today. A total of 97 Lok Sabha constituencies spread across 13 states are voting in phase II.

A total of 1,644 candidates are contesting the second phase of the Lok Sabha election 2019. However, only 1,590 have been analysed due to the unavailability of properly scanned and complete affidavits of the other 54 candidates, a statement from ADR said.

Ten candidates have declared cases related to crime against women, including rape (IPC Section-376), assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty (IPC Section-354), husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty (IPC Section-498A), against themselves. Three candidates have been convicted in the cases filed against them.

Among the major parties, the ADR report said, 16 (31%) out of 51 candidates from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), 23(43%) out of 53 candidates from the Congress, 16 (20%) out of 80 candidates from Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), three (14%) out of 22 candidates analysed from All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and 11 (46%) out of 24 candidates from Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) have declared criminal cases against themselves.

ADR added that among these candidates from major parties, 10 from the BJP, 17 from the Congress, 10 from the BSP, three from the AIADMK, seven from the DMK and one from the Shiv Sena were involved in serious criminal cases.

A total of 15 candidates also declared cases related to hate speech.