Abdul Bari Masoud | Clarion India
NEW DELHI — The Haryana Election Watch (HEW) and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) on Monday revealed that out of 1169 candidates contesting for the 90-member Haryana assembly election, 70 or 6 per cent candidates are facing serious criminal cases while 117 or 10 per cent are facing criminal cases and 481 or 42 per cent candidates are crorepatis belonging to major political parties.
These facts were gleaned from the self-sworn affidavits of 1138 out of 1169 candidates, who are contesting the Haryana Assembly Elections slated on October 21. These facts prove the growing influence of money power, and muscle power in the elections, said HEW and ADR in their analysis.
According to the analysis, out of 1138 candidates 117 (10%) candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves while in 2014 assembly elections, out of 1343 candidates 94 (7%) had declared criminal cases against themselves.
A total of 70 (6%) candidates have declared serious criminal cases against themselves while this count was 5 per cent or 70 candidates in the previous assembly elections in 2014.
Among major parties, 13 out of 87 candidates analysed from the Congress, 12 out of 86 candidates analysed from BSP, 10 out of 87 candidates analysed from Jannayak Janta Party, seven out of 80 candidates analysed from INLD and three out of 89 candidates from BJP have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.
Party-wise candidates with serious criminal cases against them are 9 (11%) out of 86 from BSP, 8(9%) out of 87 from Congress, 6 (7%) out of 87 from Jannayak Janta Party, 5 (6%) out of 80 from INLD and 1(1%) out of 89 from BJP.
Out of these candidates with criminal background:
• Five candidates have declared cases related to crime against women out which two candidates have declared cases related to rape (IPC Section-376).
• Five candidates have declared cases related to attempt to murder (IPC Section-307) against themselves.
• 11 candidates have declared convicted cases against themselves.
Haryana Assembly’s 15 (17%) out of 90 constituencies are declared as Red alert constituencies. Red alert constituencies are those where 3 or more contesting candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves.
The ADR and HEW have also analysed 1138 candidates’ financial background. According to analysis 481 (42%) are crorepatis as per their declared assets while in 2014 the count was 563 (42%) were crorepatis out of 1343 candidates.
Party-wise, 79 (91%) out of 87 candidates from INC, 79 (89%) out of 89 from BJP, 62 (71%) candidates out of 87 from Jannayak Janata Party, 50 (63%) out of 80 from INLD and 34 (40%) out of 86 candidates from BSP, have declared assets worth more than Rs. 1 crore.
The report reveals the average of assets per candidate is Rs 4.31 Crores while it was Rs. 4.54 crores in previous election.
Among major parties, the average assets per candidate for 89 BJP candidates is Rs. 11.62 crores, 87 INC candidates is Rs 13.72 crores, 87 Jannayak Janta Party candidates have average assets of Rs 11.29 crores, 86 BSP candidates have average assets worth Rs 2.48 crores, 80 INLD candidates have average assets worth Rs 4.05 crores and 366 independent candidates have average assets worth Rs 1.79 crore.
The top three candidates with highest declared assets contesting in the elections are Rohtas Singh of Jannayak Janta Party with asset worth Rs 352 crores, BJP’s candidate Captain Abhimanyu has asset worth Rs 170 crores and Congress’ Sukhbir Kataria with Rs 106 crores.
The analysis reaffirmed the growing number of millionaires in the electoral fray.
There are three candidates only with lowest assets worth mere Rs 5,000 but none of them belongs to any major political outfits.