MP polls: 53% of Congress nominees have criminal cases against them

An Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) analysis has identified 79 (34 per cent) of the total 230 constituencies in Madhya Pradesh as ‘red alert’, where three or more contesting candidates have declared criminal cases against them. In 2018, this number was 76 (33 per cent).

The ADR has analysed self-sworn affidavits of 2,534 candidates contesting the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections. They include 711 from national parties, 103 from state parties, 553 from registered unrecognised parties, and 1,167 independents.

Of the 711 candidates of national parties, 33 per cent have declared criminal cases against them and 17 per cent with serious criminal cases, defined as cases under non-bailable sections of where the jail term is at least five years.

Of the candidates, 44 per cent are graduates or above, while 134 have declared themselves to be just literate, and 28 are Illiterates. According to the report, 38 per cent of the candidates are between 25 and 40 years, 49 per cent between 41 and 60 years, 13 per cent are between 61 and 80 years and two nominees have declared they are more than 80 years old.

The report also shows that 253 (10 per cent) of the total candidates are women compared to 235 (9 per cent) in 2018.