Out of 584 candidates contesting in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly polls in phase two, about 147 candidates (25 percent) have criminal cases, the Association for Democratic Reforms has said.
The Uttar Pradesh Election Watch and the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) have analysed the self sworn affidavits of 584 out of 586 candidates contesting the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.
The affidavits of two candidates were not analysed as they were either badly scanned or complete affidavits were not uploaded on the Election Commission’s website.
Out of 584 candidates analysed, 147 (25 percent) candidates have declared criminal cases, while 113 candidates (19 percent) have declared serious criminal cases against themselves.
Also read: UP Elections 2022: Free the country of fear, says Rahul Gandhi
Among the major parties, 35 candidates (67 percent) out of 52 candidates analysed from the Samajwadi Party (SP), 23 (43 percent) out of 54 candidates from the Congress, 20 (36 per cent) out of 55 candidates from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), 18 (34 percent) out of 53 candidates from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), one (33 percent) out of three candidates from the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and seven (14 percent) out of 49 candidates from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.
Also read: PM Modi urges voters to abide by COVID rules; says, ‘Pehle matdan, phir jalpan’
Among the major parties, 25(48 percent) out of 52 candidates from SP, 16 (30 percent) out of 54 candidates from Congress, 15 (27 percent) out of 55 candidates from BSP, 11 (21 percent) out of 53 candidates from BJP, one (33 percent) out of three candidates from RLD and six (12 percent) out of 49 candidates from AAP have declared serious criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.
The analysis said six candidates have declared cases related to crime against women. One candidate has declared cases related to murder (IPC section 302) against himself.
Also read: Sugarcane farmers’ discontent in focus in UP’s Thana Bhawan constituency
About 18 candidates have declared cases related to ‘attempt to murder’ (IPC section 307) against themselves.
About 29 (53 percent) out of 55 constituencies are ‘red alert’ constituencies. Red alert constituencies are those where three or more contesting candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves.
Also read:
Out of the 584 candidates, 260 (45 percent) are crorepatis.
Assembly elections are scheduled to be held in Uttar Pradesh from February 10 to March 7 in seven phases to elect all 403 members of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly.
The votes will be counted and the results will be declared on March 10.
