Bengal polls: 23% candidates have declared criminal cases, 20% face serious cases, shows study

Twenty-three percent of the candidates contesting the ongoing Assembly elections in West Bengal have declared criminal cases in their affidavits, a study published by the Association for Democratic Reforms has shown.

The report released on Tuesday analysed the self-sworn affidavits of 2,920 out of the 2,926 candidates contesting the elections.

Out of the candidates analysed, 683 had criminal cases filed against them. Additionally, 20% of these candidates, or 589 of them, declared serious criminal cases against themselves, the report showed.

A serious criminal case includes offences with a maximum punishment of five years or more, non-bailable offences, electoral offences, or charges related to assault, murder, kidnapping, rape, and crimes against women and children.

Polling in 152 of West Bengal’s 294 constituencies was held on Thursday. Voting in the remaining seats in West Bengal will be held on April 29 and the results will be announced on May 4.

In the first phase of polling, 23% of the candidates, which is 345 out of the 1,475 analysed, have said that they face criminal cases, as per the report. Of these, 294 candidates, or 20% have serious criminal charges filed against them.

In the second phase too, 23% of the candidates, which is 338 out of the 1,445 analysed, have criminal cases against them, the Association for Democratic...

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