A recent report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) reveals that a significant portion of candidates contesting in the second phase of the Bihar Assembly Elections face criminal charges. The analysis, based on the self-sworn affidavits of 1,297 candidates out of a total of 1,302, highlights a concerning trend of criminalization in politics.
The ADR report indicates that 415 candidates, which is 32% of those analyzed, have declared criminal cases against themselves. Furthermore, 341 of these candidates (26%) are facing serious criminal charges. These serious charges include offenses such as murder, attempt to murder, crimes against women, kidnapping, assault, corruption, and bribery.
Specifically, the report reveals that 19 candidates have declared cases related to murder, while 79 face charges of attempted murder. In addition, 52 candidates have declared cases related to crimes against women, with 3 of them facing rape charges.
The ADR report also identifies "red alert constituencies," defined as those where three or more candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves. In this phase, 73 out of the 122 constituencies are flagged as red alert constituencies.
The report highlights the prevalence of candidates with criminal cases across various political parties. Among the major parties, Jan Suraaj Party has 58 (50%) of its 117 candidates with criminal cases, while 51 (44%) face serious criminal charges. Other parties with a notable percentage of candidates with criminal cases include Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) with 38 (54%) out of 70 candidates, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with 30 (57%) out of 53, and Indian National Congress (INC) with 25 (68%) out of 37. Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) has 14 (32%) out of 44 candidates with criminal cases.
The ADR report raises concerns about the impact of the Supreme Court's directives on political parties' candidate selection. The Supreme Court had instructed parties to provide reasons for selecting candidates with criminal antecedents, justifying why individuals without such backgrounds were not chosen. However, the ADR observes that political parties continue to give tickets to candidates with criminal cases, often citing reasons like popularity or social work, which the ADR deems insufficient.
In addition to the data on criminal cases, the ADR report also provides insights into the financial backgrounds of the candidates. According to the analysis, 562 (43%) of the 1,297 candidates are crorepatis, with approximately 15.3% declaring assets of ₹5 crore or more. The average assets per candidate is ₹3.44 crore.
The presence of candidates facing criminal charges remains a significant issue in Indian elections, raising concerns about the integrity and quality of representation. The ADR's analysis serves as a reminder of the need for greater transparency and accountability in the electoral process.
