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Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, May 11: The much-anticipated seven-phase Lok Sabha election 2019 will enter the sixth and penultimate phase today with more than 10.16 crore electorates spread across six states and Delhi eligible to cast their votes to decide the fate of 979 candidates that are in the fray for 59 parliamentary constituencies. A total of 83 (9%) female candidates are contesting in this phase of election.
While polling in most constituencies will be held from 7am to 6pm, voting in Jharkhand and some parts of Bihar will end earlier by two hours due to security reasons.
The states and Union Territory that will go to the polls today are Bihar, Haryana, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Meanwhile, re-polling will be held at 168 polling booths in the West Tripura constituency today following allegations of massive rigging and booth capturing during the voting held in the first phase on April 11.
Big names in the fray
This phase will witness many big political figures contesting and they include: Maneka Gandhi (BJP), Sheila Dikshit (Congress), Narendra Singh Tomar (BJP), Jyotiraditya Scindia (Congress), Digvijay Singh (Congress), Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur (BJP), Rita Bahuguna Joshi (BJP), Akhilesh Yadav (SP), Gautam Gambhir (BJP), Vijender Singh (Congress), Manoj Tiwari (BJP) and Bhupinder Singh Hooda (Congress) to name a few.
According to the National Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), which analysed the self-sworn affidavits of 967 out of 979 candidates who are contesting in Phase VI, a whopping 20% candidate has declared criminal cases against themselves. A total of 311 (32%) candidates are crorepatis and average asset of the candidates is INR 3.41 crore.
Criminal background of candidates based on affidavits filed with ECI:
- 189 (20%) candidates have criminal cases
- 146 (15%) have serious criminal cases
- Four have convicted cases against them
- Six have cases related to murder
- 25 have cases related to attempt murder
- Five candidates have cases related to kidnapping
- 21 candidates have cases related to crime against women
- 11 candidates have cases related to hate speech
Interesting facts about candidates in Phase VI
- Congress candidate Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (Guna A/C of Madhya Pradesh) is the richest candidate contesting in this phase with an asset of INR 374 cr.
- Rajib Mahato, an SHS candidate contesting from Purulia constituency in West Bengal has zero assets.
- Sukchand Saren, who is contesting from Purulia constituency in West Bengal with CPI(ML) Red Star ticket has lowest assets with INR 500.
- Former cricketer Gautam Gambhir, who is contesting with BJP ticket from East Delhi constituency, has highest liabilities with INR 34 cr. (excluding INR 1 cr. disputed liabilities) against his total assets of INR 147 cr.
- Educational qualification of 395 (41%) candidates is between 5th and 12th standard.
- 509 (53%) candidates are graduates and above, 35 are literate, and 10 are illiterate.
The Lok Sabha election 2019, which began on April 11, will conclude on May 19 after the seventh and last phase of polling. Counting of votes will be conducted on May 23 and the results will be declared on the same day.