Lok Sabha polls: 21% candidates contesting in second phase have criminal cases against them

A total of 250, or 21%, of the 1,192 candidates contesting in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections have criminal cases against them, non-governmental organisation Association for Democratic Reforms said in a report on Tuesday.

The organisation analysed the self-sworn affidavits filed by 1,192 out of the 1,198 candidates who are contesting in the second phase of the polls on April 26, in 13 states.

A report based on the analysis showed that Bharatiya Janata Party candidates K Surendran and ​​Dr KS Radhakrishnan have the most number of criminal cases against them.

Surendran, who will contest the elections from Kerala’s Wayanad against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, has 243 cases against him, of which 139 are serious offences. Radhakrishnan, the BJP’s candidate from the state’s Ernakulam constituency, has 211 criminal cases and five of them are serious.

The organisation categorises “serious offences” as those carrying a punishment of five years or more.

The third name on the list is Congress’ Idukki candidate Dean Kuriakose, who has 88 cases against him, of which 23 are serious.

Of the total 1,192 candidates whose affidavits were analysed, 167, or 14%, have serious offences registered against them.

Of the 250 candidates with criminal cases, 32 have declared cases where they have been convicted. Three candidates have declared cases related to murder,...

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