MCD polls: 9% candidates have declared criminal cases -Governance Now

MCD polls: 9% candidates have declared criminal cases

There are 67 illiterate candidates

Jasleen Kaur | April 10, 2012

Delhi election watch has analysed affidavits of 1,485 candidates out of 2,400 contesting for the forthcoming MCD elections. It shows that out of 1,485 contesting candidates, 9% i.e 139 candidates have declared criminal cases against them.

Out of these 139 candidates, BJP has the maximum with 39 out of 211 candidates who have declared criminal cases against them. Also, 28 out of 207 INC candidates, 19 out of 214 BSP candidates, 4 out of 77 SP candidates have criminal cases against them.

BSP's Jai Singh contesting from ward 167 in South Delhi's RK Puram has maximum declared criminal cases against him. He has five criminal cases including a case related to attempt to commit culpable homicide and of abetment of suicide.

He is followed by Shoeb Danish of INC from ward 205-Zakir Nagar with four cases including two charges of attempt to murder.

Kamal Jaswal from Common Cause said, "We expect voters to utilise this information and then make a choice.

There are a total of 55 IPC charges of heinous nature on candidates which includes murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping and extortion.

The analysis also shows that a total of 342 candidates are crorepatis. Satvinder kaur Sirsa of ward 103 Punjabi Bagh has the highest assets with Rs 112 crore. There are 10 candidates, some who ammased assets but never file income tax. These are Harpreet Chaudhary contesting from ward 10-Timarpur and Aman Tyagi ward7-Burari. Analysis based on educational background of candidates shows that there are 67 illiterate candidates and 239 have just passed class 5.

This is the first time that 50% seats have been reserved for women. A comparison between men and women candidates has also been done. Out of 1,485 candidates analysed 799 are men and 686 are women. Out of this, 114 men have declared criminal cases of which 42 have serious criminal cases against them. Whereas 25 women candidates have declared criminal cases and of which only one has serious criminal cases.

Anupama Jha, director of Transparency International India, said, "Our research has shown that public opines politician as the most corrupt followed by administrators. They are elected representatives and have access to things which a common man doesn't have. Thus it is important that we choose the right representative."

Jagdeep Chhokar of ADR said that the information analysed has been taken from the affidavits submitted by the candidates with the state election committee and is authentic.

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