A total of 133 candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves and 95 have declared serious criminal cases, according to a report. The ADR and Haryana Election Watch have analysed the self-sworn affidavits of 1028 out of 1031 candidates, who are contesting in the Haryana 2024 Assembly Elections. Three candidates couldn’t be analysed due to unavailability of their properly scanned and complete affidavits.
Out of the 1,028 candidates analysed in Haryana elections 2024, 13 per cent candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves. In 2019 Haryana Assembly Elections, out of 1,138 candidates analysed, 117 (10%) had declared criminal cases against themselves.
About 9 per cent of the candidates contesting in this poll have declared serious criminal cases, according to ADR. In 2019 Haryana Assembly Elections, 70 or 6 per cent of candidates had declared serious criminal cases against themselves.
A total of 11 candidates have declared cases related to crime against women. Out of 11 candidates 2 candidates have declared charge related to rape (IPC Section-376). At least six candidates have declared cases related to murder (IPC Section-302) against themselves.
Eight candidates have declared cases related to attempt to murder (IPC Section-307) against themselves.
Among the major parties, 17 (19%) out of 89 candidates analysed from Congress, 6 (7%) out of 89 candidates analysed from BJP, 23(26%) out of 88 candidates analysed from AAP, 7 (11%) out of 66 candidates analysed from Jannayak Janta Party, 9 (18%) out of 51 candidates analysed from INLD and 3 (9%) out of 35 candidates analysed from BSP have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.
Among the major parties, 11(12%) out of 89 candidates analysed from Congress, 3(3%) out of 89 candidates analysed from BJP, 14(16%) out of 88 candidates analysed from AAP, 6 (9%) out of 66 candidates analysed from Jannayak Janta Party, 6 (12%) out of 51 candidates analysed from INLD and 3 (9%) out of 35 candidates analysed from BSP have declared serious criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits, according to ADR.
A total of 20 (22%) out of 90 constituencies are red alert constituencies. Red alert constituencies are those where three or more contesting candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves. In the last Assembly polls, 15 (17%) constituencies had three or more candidates with declared criminal cases.
“The directions of the Supreme Court have had no effect on the political parties in selection of candidates in the Haryana Assembly Elections 2024 as they have again followed their old practice of giving tickets to around 13% candidates with criminal cases. All major parties contesting in Haryana Assembly Elections 2024 have given tickets from 7 % to 26 % candidates who have declared criminal cases against themselves,” the report said.
“The Supreme Court in its directions dated 13th February, 2020 had specifically instructed political parties to give reasons for such selection and why other individuals without criminal antecedents could not be selected as candidates. As per these mandatory guidelines, the reasons for such selection has to be with reference to qualifications, achievements and merit of the candidate concerned,” it added.