Jharkhand Assembly election Phase V: 24% candidates face criminal cases; 22% are crorepartis

Ranchi: The campaigning for the fifth and final phase of Jharkhand Assembly elections, covering 16 seats in six districts of Sahebganj, Pakur, Dumka, Jamtara, Deoghar and Godda, ended on Wednesday. The vote will take place on December 20, while the counting will be held on December 23.

Over 40,05,200 voters will seal the electoral fate of 237 candidates, including 29 women, in the Santhal Pargana region. In 2014, the BJP and the JMM had won six seats each, the Congress three and the JVM one seat. In the last Assembly and the Lok Sabha polls, the BJP had dented this JMM stronghold, as the BJP candidate Sunil Soren defeated JMM president Shibu Soren in Dumka in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The high profile candidates in the fray include Raj Paliwar, Louis Marandi and Randhir Singh, all Ministers in the Raghubar Das cabinet. Hemant Soren, the Chief Ministerial candidate of the Mahagathbandhan (Congress-JMM-RJD combine), is contesting from Dumka as well as Barhet.

Of these 237 candidates, 58 (24%) have criminal cases against them; 42 (18%) are facing serious criminal cases, while there are 51 (22%) croreparti candidates with average assets of Rs 1.24 crore, according to the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) data.

PHASE-V: District/Assembly constituency (16 seats)

1. Sahebganj: 1-Rajmahal; 2-Boiro (ST); 3-Barhait (ST)
2. Pakur: 4-Litipara (ST); 5-Pakur; 6-Maheshpur (ST)
3.Dumka: 7-Sikaripara (ST); 10-Dumka (ST); 11-Jama (ST); 12-Jarmundi
4. Jamtara: 8-Nala; 9-Jamtara
5. Deoghar: 14-Sarath
6. Godda: 16-Poreyahat; 17-Godda; 18-Mahagama

As the campaigning for the fifth and final phase of Jharkhand Assembly elections is over, Jharkhand Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) have prepared a consolidated report of criminal and fnancial background details of contesting candidates. The analysis is based on the the self-sworn affidavits of all 1216 candidates who are contesting in the Jharkhand 2019 Assembly elections from Phase 1 to 5.

Criminal Background

Candidates with criminal cases: Out of 1216 candidates analysed for 2019 Jharkhand Assembly election, 335 (28%) have declared criminal cases against themselves. During Jharkhand Assembly elections in 2014, out of 1136 candidates, 330(29%) candidates had declared criminal cases against themselves.

Candidates with serious criminal cases: 222 (18%) candidates have declared serious criminal cases including cases related to rape, murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, crimes against women etc.

-10 candidates have declared convicted cases against themselves.
-13 candidates have declared cases related to murder (Indian Penal Code Section-302).
-52 candidates have declared cases of attempt to murder (IPC Section-307).

Rape cases: 24 candidates have declared cases related to crimes against women. Out of 24 candidates, 5 candidates have declared cases related to rape (IPC Section-376).
Kidnapping cases: 10 candidates have declared cases related to kidnapping.

Party wise candidates with criminal cases: 35 (44%) out of 79 candidates from BJP, 34 (42%) out of 81 candidates from JVM(P), 25 (47%) out of 53 candidates from AJSU Party, 19(44%) out of 43 candidates fielded by JMM, 16(52%) out of 31 candidates fielded by INC and 71 (19%) out of 368 Independent candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.

Party wise candidates with serious criminal cases: 23 (29%) out of 79 candidates from BJP, 21 (26%) out of 81 candidates from JVM(P), 14 (26%) out of 53 candidates from AJSU Party, 14(33%) out of 43 candidates fielded by JMM, 13(42%) out of 31 candidates fielded by INC and 49 (13%) out of 368 Independent candidates have declared serious criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.

Red Alert constituencies: 60 out of 81 constituencies (74%) are red alert in the Jharkhand assembly elections have 3 or more candidates with declared criminal cases. 62 out of 81 constituencies (77%) in the Jharkhand assembly elections 2014 had 3 or more candidates with declared criminal cases.

Red Alert constituencies are those which have 3 or more candidates with criminal cases contesting elections.