NEW DELHI: Fourteen per cent of the 1,815 candidates contesting the ongoing Gujarat Assembly polls were facing criminal charges, according to a report.
A study of the affidavits submitted by the candidates to the Election Commission showed that of the 253 such nominees, 154 had serious criminal cases such as murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, crime against women against them.
The study was carried out by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), a non-governmental organisation which works in the area of electoral and political reforms, and the Gujarat Election Watch.
According to the report, 56 Congress candidates contesting the Gujarat polls had criminal cases against them, while the number of BJP nominees in this category was 46.
Of the 418 “crorepati” candidates, 147 belonged to the BJP, while 129 were fielded by the Congress.
The average worth of assets of the candidates contesting the Gujarat polls was Rs 2.22 crore, the report said, adding that in the 2012 Assembly election in the State, the average worth of assets of the 1,283 candidates was Rs 1.46 crore. (AGENCIES)
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