14% candidates in Gujarat face criminal charges: ADR

New Delhi, Dec 12 (IANS) As many as 253 (14 per cent) candidates in the fray in Gujarat assembly polls have declared criminal cases against them, with three candidates facing charges related to murder, 17 related to attempt to murder, and four related to rape, an ADR-Gujarat Election Watch report said on Monday.

Non-profit Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) along with Gujarat Election Watch has prepared a report by analysing information furnished by 1,815 of the 1,828 candidates.

In 2012 Gujarat elections, out of 1,283 candidates analysed, 222 (17 per cent) had declared criminal cases against themselves, the report said.

"As many as 154 (8 per cent) candidates have declared serious criminal cases, including ones related to murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, and crimes against women. In 2012 Gujarat assembly elections, 92 (7 per cent) candidates had declared serious criminal cases against themselves," it said.

It said seven candidates have declared cases related to kidnapping.

Among major parties, 46 (25 per cent) out of 181 candidates are from Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), 56 (32 per cent) out of 176 candidates from Congress, 17 (12 per cent) out of 138 candidates from Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), 9 (16 per cent) out of 57 candidates from Nationalist Congress Party, 4 (14 per cent) out of 28 candidates from Aam Aadmi Party, and 65 (8 per cent) out of 791 independent candidates analysed have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.

Out of the 1,815 candidates, 418 (23 per cent) are multi-millionaires and among the major parties 147 (81 per cent) out of 181 candidates are from BJP, 129(73 per cent) out of 176 candidates from Congress, 5 (4 per cent) out of 138 candidates from BSP, and 11(39 per cent) out of 28 candidates from AAP, the report said.