Delhi : As many as 256 candidates amounting to 16% out of a total of 1618 contesting in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024 have declared criminal cases against themselves with the highest number of criminal cases registered against those of BJP followed by Congress, AIADMK, SP and others. Out of a total of 1618 in first phase, only 135 (8%) are women candidates.
According to a report by 'Association for Democratic Reforms' (ADR), an organization working for electoral reforms published on Monday, among the major parties, 4 (100%) out of 4 candidates from RJD, 13 (59%) out of 22 candidates from DMK, 3 (43%) out of 7 candidates from SP, 2 (40%) out of 5 candidates from AITC, 28 (36%) out of 77 candidates from BJP, 13 (36%) out of 36 candidates from AIADMK, 19 (34%) out of 56 candidates from INC and 11 (13%) out of 86 candidates from BSP have declared criminal cases against themselves.
Out of a total of 1618, seven candidates have cases registered against them related to murder, 19 related to attempt to murder, 18 candidates have cases related to crime against women and others.
In terms of the state wise candidates with self-declared criminal cases, Tamil Nadu bags the top list with 138 (15%) out of 945 have criminal cases against them followed by Uttar Pradesh with 28 (35%) out of a total of 88 have declared criminal cases against them and others.
Financial background: In terms of the financial background of these candidates for the first phase of high voltage Lok Sabha elections, 193 candidates (12%) have a wealth of Rs 5 crore and above, 139 (9%) have a wealth between Rs 2-5 crores, 277 (17%) between Rs 50 lakhs-2 crores, 436 (27%) have between Rs 10-50 lakhs and 573 (35%) have less than Rs 10 lakhs.
RJD with a percentage of 100% has the most number of crorepati candidates with all of its four candidates falling in that list followed by 35 (97%) of AIADMK, 21 (96%) of DMK, 69 (90%) of BJP, 49 (88%) of Congress, 4 (80%) of TMC and 18 (21%) of BSP. The average asset per candidate contesting in the Lok Sabha phase I election is Rs. 4.51 crores.
Average assets: Among major parties, the average assets per candidate for 36 AIADMK candidates is Rs. 35.61 crores, 22 DMK candidates is Rs 31.22 crores, 56 INC candidates have average assets of Rs 27.79 crores, 77 BJP candidates have average assets worth Rs 22.37 crores, 4 RJD candidates have average assets worth Rs 8.93 crores, 7 SP candidates have average assets worth Rs 6.67 crores, and 5 AITC candidates have average assets of Rs 3.72 crores.
Nakul Nath of Congress who is the son of former Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath bags the top post with the highest declared assets of Rs 716 crore+ followed by Ashok Kumar (Tamil Nadu) of AIADMK with Rs 662 crore+, Dhevanathan Yadav T (Tamil Nadu) of BJP with Rs 394 crore+ and others.
The top three candidates who declared lowest assets are all independents including Ponraj K (Rs 300+, Suriya Muthu (Ra 500+) from Tamil Nadu and Kartik Gendlalji Doke (Rs 500+) from Maharashtra.
Education background and candidates based on age-group: Out of a total of 1618, 28 are illiterates, 255 are graduates, 309 post-graduate, 47 doctorates and others.
The highest number of candidates are in the age group of 41-50 with 466 followed by 388 between 31-40, 383 between 51-60, 210 from 61-7, 117 between 25-30, 50 between 71-80 and 4 between 81-90.
Read More
