Bihar Polls: RJD tops the list in giving tickets to candidates with criminal record in first phase

By Mukesh Singh And Sahil Pandey
Patna (Bihar) [India], October 21 (ANI): No qualms in fielding candidates with a criminal background and it is reflected in the 1st phase of Bihar elections 2020 as out of 1064, 328 (31%) candidates are with criminal cases and Rashtriya Janta Dal(RJD) tops the list while Bharatiya Janata Party comes in the second position with (72%), according to an election watchdog Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR).
No political party can claim that it has not given tickets to candidates with pending criminal cases including serious cases which are non-bailable offences, Rashtriya Janta Dal(RJD) has fielded most number of candidates with a criminal background (73%), followed by BJP (72%).
According to the report, 244 (23%) candidates have declared serious criminal cases against themselves.
Serious criminal cases are non-bailable offences with over five years of imprisonment where 22(54%) out of 41 candidates analysed from RJD, 20(49%) out of 41 candidates analysed from LJP, 13(45%) out of 29 candidates analysed from BJP, 9(43%) out of 21 candidates analysed from INC, 10(29%) out of 35 candidates analysed from JD(U) and 5(19%) out of 26 candidates analysed from BSP have declared it in their affidavits.
Highlighting other parties, the polls body says that about 24 (59 per cent) out of 41 candidates analysed from the LJP have declared criminal cases against themselves and 20 (49 per cent) have declared serious criminal cases against themselves.
The report also noted 12 (57 per cent) out of 21 candidates analysed from the Congress, 15 (43 per cent) out of 35 candidates analysed from the JD(U) and eight (31 per cent) out of 26 candidates analysed from the BSP have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.
"Among the major parties, 30(73%) out of 41 candidates analysed from RJD, 21(72%) out of 29 candidates analysed from BJP, 24 (59%) out of 41 candidates analysed from LJP, 12 (57%) out of 21 candidates analysed from INC, 15 (43%) out of 35 candidates analysed from JD(U) and 8 (31%) out of 26 candidates analysed from BSP have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits," says ADR report.
On crime against women, the report notes 29 candidates have declared cases related to crime against women. Out of 29 candidates, 3 candidates have declared cases related to rape (IPC Section-375 and 376).
On Financial Also, out of the 1064 candidates analysed by the watchdog, 375 (35%) are crorepatis.
The average assets of candidates contesting phase 1 election is Rs 1.99 crores. Of this 9% of candidates have wealth of Rs 5 crore and above, while 12% have wealth between Rs 2 and Rs 5 crore.
Highest asset candidate is RJD's Anant Kumar Singh and 5 candidates from various parties have declared zero assets.
"Among the major parties 39(95%) out of 41 candidates analysed from RJD, 31(89%) out of 35 candidates analysed from JDU, 24(83%) out of 29 candidates analysed from BJP, 30(73%) out of 41 candidates analysed from LJP, 14(67%) out of 21 candidates analysed from INC and 12(46%) out of 26 candidates from BSP have declared assets worth more than Rs. 1 crore," report adds.
The report also analysed educational qualification of the candidates contesting in phase 1 and noted that 43% of the candidates had declared their educational qualifications as between Class 5 and Class 12 and 49% as graduates or above. Out of the total candidates, 11% are women.
The watchdog analysed self-sworn affidavits of 1064 out of 1066 candidates contesting phase 1 of the election.
Talking about the age of the candidates in phase 1, 403 (38%) candidates have declared their age to be between 25 to 40 years while 548 (52%) candidates have declared their age to be between 41 to 60 years. There are 112(11%) candidates who have declared their age to be between 61 to 80 years. 1 candidate has declared his age 82 years.
The Bihar election will be held in three phases for a total of 243 seats -- the first phase for 71 seats on October 28, the second phase for 94 seats on November 3, and the third phase for the remaining 78 will be on November 7.
The results will be announced on November 10. (ANI)