Lagatar24 Desk
Lucknow, Feb 16: According to an Association for Democratic Reform (ADR) assessment based on a review of their poll affidavits, 103 or 17% of the 623 candidates contesting the third phase of Uttar Pradesh assembly elections have serious criminal offences such as rape and murder. According to ADR, 135 candidates (22%) declared criminal charges against themselves.
Twenty-six (44%) of the 59 constituencies in 16 districts that will vote in the third phase on February 20 are “Red Alert,” with three or more candidates facing criminal charges. ADR two candidates are accused of rape and multiple murders.
Interestingly among the major parties, 21 (36%) of 58 Samajwadi Party (SP), 20 (36%) of 55 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nominees, 18 (31%) of 59 Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), 10 (18%) of 56 Congress and 11 (22%) of 49 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) face serious criminal cases. Thirty (52%) SP, 25 (46%) BJP, 23 (39%) BSP, 20 (36%) Congress and 11 (22%) of AAP candidates have criminal cases pending against them.
Notably, the Supreme Court ordered in February 2020 that political parties need to explain why they gave tickets to candidates with criminal records and why they could not be picked as candidates if they did not have them.
The data gathered by the ADR demonstrates that political parties have little interest in altering the electoral system, according to the report, our democracy will continue to suffer at the hands of lawbreakers who become lawmakers.
