The Association for Democratic Reforms and National Election Watch report analysed election affidavits of 4,693 out of 4,809 lawmakers – 755 out of 775 MPs and 4,033 out of 4,693 MLAs
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI – A report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch (NEW) has shown that 151 sitting MPs and MLAs have cases related to crime against women with the BJP accounting for one-third of such lawmakers.
The report, released on Wednesday, analysed the election affidavits of 4,693 out of 4,809 lawmakers – 755 out of 775 MPs and 4,033 out of 4,693 MLAs.
The cases of crime against women included assault or criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty, kidnapping, abducting or inducing her to compel her marriage, rape, cruelty, buying minors for purposes of prostitution and words, gestures, or acts intended to insult the modesty of a woman.
Of the 151 lawmakers facing crime against women charges, 16 are MPs while the rest 135 are MLAs. The report showed that the BJP has the highest number of sitting MPs and MLAs with crime against women charges at 54 followed by Congress (23) and TDP (17). AAP has 13 such lawmakers while Trinamool Congress has 10.
West Bengal tops the list with 25 sitting MPs and MLAs facing charges related to crimes against women, followed by Andhra Pradesh with 21 and Odisha with 17, according to the report that comes amid the nationwide protests over the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor in a state-run hospital in Kolkata and sexual assault of two children in Thane.
According to the report, there are 16 sitting MPs and MLAs who have declared cases related to rape under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 376, which carries a minimum sentence of 10 years and can be extended to life imprisonment. Of these, two are MPs and 14 MLAs.
The charges include repeated offenses against the same victim, further underscoring the gravity of these cases.
The report called for fast-tracking of court cases against MPs and MLAs, ensuring professional and thorough investigations by police.
“As directed by the Supreme Court in February 2020, political parties should declare reasons why candidates with criminal cases are given tickets to contest elections…Voters should desist from electing candidates with self-declared cases related to crime against women and other heinous crimes,” it added.
