Ahmedabad, Nov 24 (IANS): A total of 167 candidates contesting the first phase of the upcoming Gujarat Assembly elections are facing criminal cases, a data has revealed.

"In the first phase, 167 candidates have declared that they are facing criminal cases. It is 13 per cent of the total candidates but higher than the number of 2017 when 78 candidates had disclosed that they are facing criminal cases," said Maj Gen (retd) Anil Verma, head of Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).

ADR and Gujarat Election Watch have scanned details of candidates contesting Gujarat assembly elections, from which they have found that out of 799 candidates (in first phase),167 are facing criminal cases.

The Aam Aadmi Party that claims to be the most honest and transparent has nominated 30 per cent candidates facing serious criminal cases, BJP (12 per cent), Congress (20 per cent) and BTP (7 per cent), Verma said.

The Gujarat Assembly elections would be held in two phases --December 1 and December 5.

The votes would be counted on December 8.