16 % candidates in 1st phase have criminal cases against them

NEW DELHI: Nearly 16 per cent of candidates contesting in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls have pending criminal cases against them, with Bihar and Uttar Pradesh accounting for the maximum such contestants, a report claimed.

Roughly 222 of the 1440 candidates or 16 per cent contesting polls in 11 states in the first phase on April 16 have serious charges framed against them, the independent body Association of Democratic Rights (ADR) said in its report.

While Congress has fielded 24 such contestants, BJP comes a close second with 23. BSP and Samajwadi party have fielded 17 and 10 such candidates respectively, it said in a report.

However, in terms of percentage of such candidates to total nominees fielded by them, CPI-ML (Liberation), RJD and JD(U) outdo Congress and BJP, according to the data compiled by ADR based on affidavits submitted by contestants.

While eight of the 13 candidates or 65.51 per cent fielded by CPI (ML) have pending criminal cases against them, JD(U) with 7 of the 12 candidates or 58 per cent and RJD with 7 of the 16 or 43 per cent follow in line.