New Delhi: Of the 673 candidates in the fray for the 2015 Delhi Assembly election, 114 (around 17 per cent) have criminal cases against them, election watchdog The Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) has said.
The agency also noted that 19 out of 70 were 'red alert' constituencies which had at least three tainted candidates each. Out of all, Tughlakabad is on top, with having five such candidates contesting from the seat.
It said amongst all parties, the BJP has fielded the highest number of 27 candidates with criminal cases followed by AAP and Congress with 21 and 12 such candidates respectively.
"114 out of 673 candidates (17 per cent) have declared criminal cases against themselves. During the 2013 and 2008 Delhi Assembly elections, the percentage of candidates with criminal cases was 16 and 14 respectively," Jagdeep Chhokar, founder member of ADR, said.
Out of the 114 candidates, 74 of them have declared serious criminal cases against them including murder, attempt to murder, assault, loss to exchequer and crimes against women.
Higher on the 'red alert' constituency list are Rajouri Garden and Tilak Nagar with 4 candidates in poll fray having criminal cases against them.
The 'red alert' constituencies includes Najafgarh, Babarpur, Ghonda, Nangloi, Dwarka, Adarsh Nagar, Matia Mahal, Shahdara, Chhatarpur, Shalimar bagh, New Delhi, Mundka, Matiala, Okhla, Hari Nagar and RK Puram.
The report has also revealed that 230 (34 per cent) out of 673 candidates are crorepatis. During the previous Delhi Assembly elections in 2013, 265 (33 per cent) out of 796 candidates analysed were crorepatis.
Party-wise crorepati candidates include: 59 (84 per cent) out of 70 candidates from INC, 50 (72 per cent) out of 69 candidates from BJP, 44 (63 per cent) out of 70 candidates from AAP, 28 (40 per cent) out of 70 candidates from BSP and 27 (14 per cent) out of 195 independent candidates are crorepatis.
