Beware voters! 31% candidates with criminal records in 5th phase, max. from BJP

 Bihar Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has published its report for the fifth phase of Bihar Elections. According to their report, 827 candidates are in the fray in this phase. Out of these 254 (31%), candidates of different political parties and independent background have confessed having criminal cases against them in their affidavits submitted to Election Commission.

In these contestants, 193 candidates have charges related to murder, attempt to murder, communal disharmony, kidnapping and crime against women. 15 candidates have acknowledged that they are facing cases related to murder (Indian Penal Code Section 302).

Candidates with criminal backgrounds belong to almost all political parties and independent background. Main political parties to which they belong are CPI (ML)(L), Bahujan Samaj Party, Communist Party of India (CPI) Marxist, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Shiv Sena (SHS), Samajwadi Party (SP), and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM).

According to the report, 16 candidates are facing cases related with crimes against women. Among these, contestants of Jhanjharpur and Supaul constituencies along with candidates of Jale constituency are from RJD and CPI(ML)(L) and have declared charges of IPC Section 376 along with others.

Section 376 is related with crimes of rape. 3 candidates have also declared cases relating to communal disharmony and they belong to BJP and SP. 7 candidates have stated cases of robbery and dacoity in their affidavits and 13 candidates are contesting with cases related with kidnapping.

BJP has fielded maximum candidates with criminal cases

The report states that BJP has fielded maximum candidates with criminal records in the coming fifth phase. Party wise breakups of candidates of criminal backgrounds are as following:

• 21 out of 38 candidates of BJP
• 11 out of 20 candidates of CPI
• 16 out of 55 candidates of BSP
• 13 out of 25 candidates of JD(U)
• 12 out of 26 candidates of SP
• 10 out of 20 candidates of RJD
• 7 out of 12 candidates of INC
• 21 out of 40 candidates of JAP(L)
• 12  out of 23 candidates of the CPI(ML)(L),
• 9  out of 13 candidates of CPI(M)
• 55 out of 262 Independent candidates