Shimla, Nov 3 (IANS): Twenty-three per cent of candidates in the fray for the November 12 assembly elections to 68 seats in Himachal Pradesh faced criminal cases. Twelve per cent candidates have been facing serious criminal charges, an analysis said on Thursday.
The Himachal Pradesh Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) have analysed the self-sworn affidavits of all 412 candidates who are contesting in the elections.
Out of 412 candidates, 201 are from national parties, 67 from state parties, 45 from registered unrecognized parties and 99 are contesting as Independents.
Out of the total candidates analysed, 94 have declared criminal cases against themselves. In 2017 assembly elections, out of 338 candidates analysed, 61 (18 per cent) had declared criminal cases against themselves.
Candidates with serious criminal cases this time are 50 (12 per cent), while in 2017 polls 31 (nine per cent) candidates had declared serious criminal cases against themselves.
Among the major parties, seven (64 per cent) out of 11 candidates analysed are from the CPI(M); 36 (53 per cent) out of 68 candidates from the Congress; 12 (18 per cent) out of 68 candidates from the BJP; 12 (18 per cent) out of 67 candidates from AAP; and two (four per cent) out of 53 candidates analysed from the BSP have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.
Five candidates have declared cases related to crime against women, while two have declared cases related to murder against them.
Out of the 412 candidates, 226 (55 per cent) are multi-millionaire. In 2017 elections, out of 338 candidates, 158 (47 per cent) were multi-millionaire.
Among the major parties 61 (90 per cent) from the Congress, 56 (82 per cent) from the BJP, 35 (52 per cent) from AAP, four (36 per cent) from the CPI (M) and 13 (25 per cent) from the BSP have declared assets more than Rs 1 crore.
Among major parties, the average assets per candidate for the Congress candidates analysed is Rs 11.82 crore; Rs 7.30 crore for the BJP; Rs 4.08 crore for the CPI (M); Rs 3.71 crore for AAP; and Rs 86.07 lakh for BSP candidates.