570 candidates declare criminal cases in third phase of Lok Sabha poll

392 candidates have declared personal wealth in crores, reports Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR).

A total of 570 candidates out of 1594 candidates, contesting in the third phase of Lok Sabha Election 2019, have declared criminal cases against them, according to Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) data published Friday.

Two hundred and thirty candidates have serious criminal cases, 340 have declared criminal cases against themselves, 14 candidates have declared convicted cases against themselves while 43 candidates have declared cases related to murder and attempt to murder. Fourteen candidates have declared cases related to kidnapping such kidnapping for ransom while 29 candidates have declared cases related to crime against women such as rape 

Forty candidates are from Congress, 38 from Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), 16 from Bahujan Samaj Party and 11 from Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M).

The ADR and the National Election Watch analysed the self-sworn affidavits of 1594 out of 1612 candidates, who are contesting in the Lok Sabha Phase III. Out of all 1594 candidates analysed, 314 are from national parties, 76 are from state parties, 492 are from registered unrecognized parties and 712 candidates are contesting independently.

The ADR data was published after screening the candidates` self-sworn affidavits.

Only 26 candidates have declared cases related to hate speech. 

The ADR report also states that 392 candidates have declared personal wealth in crores. The Samajwadi Party`s Kumar Devendra Singh Yadav has declared Rs 204 crore in his total assets. He is followed by Bhonsle Shrimant Chhatrapati of the National Congress Party, with assets worth Rs 199 crore. The report also estimates that an average Rs 2.95 crore have been identified in the declaration of every candidate, who has declared wealth in excess of Rs 1 crore.

The third phase polls will be held on April 23.