Over 50% candidates in 1st phase have criminal cases against them

RANCHI: Over half of the candidates fielded by national parties in the first phase of the Jharkhand elections have declared criminal backgrounds in their affidavits. An analysis of the affidavits reveals that 42% of BJP candidates and 47% of Congress candidates have declared serious criminal cases, raising concerns about the prevalence of candidates with criminal histories in the upcoming elections.

It is the same for other political outfits as well with 50% of candidates fielded by Ajsu party, 60% of candidates fielded by RJD and 100% candidates fielded by the JD(U) have serious criminal cases pending against them.

The first phase of elections in Jharkhand has seen a significant number of candidates with criminal backgrounds, according to an analysis of their submitted affidavits.

Out of 683 candidates in the first phase, 174 (26%) have declared some criminal cases, and 127 (19%) have declared serious criminal cases, including those related to crimes against women, attempted rape or murder, arson, and arms act violations. National parties like the BJP and Congress have fielded candidates with serious criminal cases, with 15 out of 36 BJP candidates and eight out of 17 Congress candidates declaring such backgrounds.

The data highlights a concerning trend where a significant portion of candidates vying for political office have declared criminal backgrounds.

The Supreme Court, in its directives dated February 13, 2020, had instructed political parties to provide justifications for selecting candidates with criminal backgrounds and explain why individuals without such backgrounds were not chosen.

Political parties have offered explanations for fielding candidates with declared criminal backgrounds, often attributing the cases to political motivations. The BJP spokesperson, Pratul Shahdeo, said: "Peoples representatives have to take part in agitations and the ruling party lodges cases arbitrarily. JMM govt lodged 450 cases against BJP workers in the last five years."

The Congress spokesperson, Rakesh Sinha, echoed similar sentiments, saying: "Protest dharna and agitation against the govt is often registered as serious crime against protestors."


Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.