Bihar phase-II polls: 34% of candidates with criminal cases

Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, Oct. 31 (EMN): With the first phase of voting for 71 legislative assembly seats having completed with 55.69% voter turnout, Bihar is set for its second phase polling scheduled to be held on November 3.

Elections to the 243-member Bihar Legislative Assembly is being held in three phases—first phase polling on October 28, second phase on November 3, and final phase on November 7. The counting of votes and results will be declared on November 10.

A total of 1463 candidates are in the fray for 94 assembly seats that will go to the polls in the second phase.

34% with criminal cases

The self-sworn affidavits of 1463 candidates contesting in Bihar assembly elections phase-II have revealed that 502 (34%) candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves, according to Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) report. It added that 389 (27%) have declared serious criminal cases against themselves.

Among the major political parties, 36 (64%) out of 56 candidates from RJD have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits; 29 (63%) out of 46 candidates from BJP; 14 (58%) out of 24 candidates from INC; 28 (54%) out of 52 candidates from LJP; 16 (49%) out of 33 candidates from BSP; and 20 (47%) out of 43 candidates from JD (U).

In terms of serious criminal cases, 28 (50%) out of 56 candidates from RJD have declared such cases against themselves; 24 (46%) out of 52 candidates from LJP; 20 (44%) out of 46 candidates from BJP; 14 (42%) out of 33 candidates from BSP; 10 (42%) out of 24 candidates from INC; and 15 (35%) out of 43 candidates from JD (U).

The information provided in the affidavits also revealed that 49 candidates have declared cases related to crime against women, out of which four of them have declared cases related to rape (IPC Section- 376); 32 candidates related to murder (IPC Section-302); and 143 candidates related to attempt to murder (IPC Section-307).

34% candidates are crorepatis

The election watchdog also informed that 495 (34%) candidates contesting in the second phase of Bihar assembly elections are crorepatis and average assets is INR 1.72 crore. The analysis based on information provided in the affidavit revealed that 39 (85%) out of 46 candidates from BJP are crorepatis with an average of INR 3.44 crore; 20 (83%) out of 24 candidates from INC (average INR 10.25 cr.); 46 (82%) out of 56 candidates from RJD (average INR 4.82 cr.); 35 (81%) out of 43 candidates from JD(U) (average INR 4.95 cr.); 38 (73%) out of 52 candidates from LJP (average INR 3.86 cr.); and 11 (33%) out of 33 candidates from BSP (average INR 1.30 cr.).

In the meantime, as many as 683 (47%) candidates have declared liabilities in their affidavits.

Only 147 female candidates

There are only 147 (10%) female candidates out of 1463 candidates contesting in Phase II.

In terms of education details, “602 (41%) candidates have declared their educational qualification to be between 5th and 12th standard while 720 (49%) candidates have declared having an educational qualification of graduate or above”, according to the ADR report. A total of 122 candidates are literate, five are illiterate, 13 are diploma holders, while an independent has not provided education details.

The self-sworn affidavit made public by the election watchdog went on to inform that 594 (41%) candidates have declared their age to be between 25 to 40 years while 712 (49%) candidates have declared their age to be between 41 to 60 years. It added that 156 (11%) candidates are aged between 61 to 80 years, and one candidate is said to be 86 years old.

Alliances galore

It may be mentioned that Bihar is currently ruled by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) with Nitish Kumar of Janata Dal (United) as the chief minister after the government formed by Mahagathbandhan coalition collapsed in 2017.

In this year’s assembly election, several alliances, notably National Democratic Alliance, which include JD (U), BJP, Vikassheel Insaan Party and Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha; and Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) comprising Rashtriya Janata Dal, Congress, CPI-ML, CPI and CPI (M), are vying to form government in the state.