PTI image
New Delhi:
Around one-sixth of the 5,573 candidates seeking people's mandate during the first three phases of Lok Sabha polls have criminal records with Congress and BJP topping this list, a study has claimed.
According to the study conducted by National Election Watch and Association of Democratic Reforms, 909 aspirants -- 16.3 per cent -- of a seat in the Lower House of Parliament have criminal background.
The study claims that Congress leads the pack with 100 contestants with criminal background followed by BJP which has fielded 98 "criminal" candidates in the elections.
Not that behind in this list of criminal candidates, BSP has fielded 88 candidates with criminal records. The Samajwadi Party has 39 such candidates.
In the third phase of elections, parties have fielded 258 candidates with criminal background. The total number of candidates in this phase is 1,567. Out of the 909 "criminal" candidates, 401 are charged with heinous crimes.
The study said that Bihar has the highest number of 175 criminal candidates followed by Maharashtra (144), Uttar Pradesh (122) and Jharkhand (51).
Like the criminal candidates, Congress also tops the list of crorepati candidates (202) followed by BJP (139), BSP (95) and SP (41).
According to the study conducted by National Election Watch and Association of Democratic Reforms, 909 aspirants -- 16.3 per cent -- of a seat in the Lower House of Parliament have criminal background.
The study claims that Congress leads the pack with 100 contestants with criminal background followed by BJP which has fielded 98 "criminal" candidates in the elections.
Not that behind in this list of criminal candidates, BSP has fielded 88 candidates with criminal records. The Samajwadi Party has 39 such candidates.
In the third phase of elections, parties have fielded 258 candidates with criminal background. The total number of candidates in this phase is 1,567. Out of the 909 "criminal" candidates, 401 are charged with heinous crimes.
The study said that Bihar has the highest number of 175 criminal candidates followed by Maharashtra (144), Uttar Pradesh (122) and Jharkhand (51).
Like the criminal candidates, Congress also tops the list of crorepati candidates (202) followed by BJP (139), BSP (95) and SP (41).
