As many as 70 candidates in the fray from various constituencies in Haryana Assembly polls have serious criminal cases registered against them.
Haryana Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), an NGO, known for election research on Wednesday declared that 70 (5 per cent) candidates in the fray have serious criminal cases registered against them. It includes cases related to murder, attempt to murder, communal disharmony, crimes against women.
However, overall numbers of candidates facing criminal cases have decreased from 109 (9 per cent) out of 1,186 candidates in 2009 Assembly polls to 94 (7 per cent) in these elections, added ADR.ADR analysed the affidavits of 1,343 candidates out of 1,351 candidates, contesting in 90 constituencies across Haryana, and found 94 (7 per cent) candidates have criminal cases registered against them.
The list of party wise candidates facing serious criminal cases includes six (7 per cent) out of 90 candidates from BJP, four (4 per cent) out of 90 candidates from the Congress, six (7 per cent) out of 88 candidates from INlD, eight (12 percent) out of 65 candidates fielded by Haryana Janhit Congress (Bl), three (4 per cent) out of 75 candidates fielded by Haryana lokhit Party and 31 (five per cent) out of 597 independent candidates, as per the ADR
According to the affidavit submitted to the Haryana Election Department, 11 candidates are facing cases of attempt to murder and seven are facing cases related to crimes against women. Five candidates have declared cases related to husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty (IPC Section-498 A), said the ADR.
Similarly, the candidates with criminal cases are 9 (10 per cent) out of 90 candidates from BJP, 4 (4 per cent) from Congress, 10 (11 per cent) from INlD, 10 (15 percent) from Haryana Janhit Congress (Bl), 6 (8 percent) from Haryana lokhit Party and 41 (7 per cent) out of 597 independent candidates.