A report by the Jharkhand Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reform has claimed that in the 43 Assembly constituencies in Jharkhand that will go to polls on November 13, 34 per cent of candidates are crorepatis (millionaires), while 26 per cent have criminal cases against them, with 19 per cent facing serious charges.

According to the report, which claims to have examined self-sworn affidavits of 682 out of 683 candidates (Independent candidate from Torpa constituency Brajendra Hembrom’s affidavit could not be analysed as it is not clear and complete on the Election Commission’s website), Barkagaon seat has the maximum number of candidates (26).

A total of 174 candidates have criminal cases against them and among them, 127 (19 per cent ) have serious criminal charges against them.

Serious criminal cases pertain to offences having a maximum punishment of five years or more and are non-bailable. Similarly, electoral offences, offences related to loss of exchequer, assault, murder, kidnap, rape, offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act and crime against women and children also come under serious criminal cases purview.

11 candidates have declared cases related to crime against women, while four have declared cases related to murder and 40 have attempt-to-murder cases against them.

The report also pointed to a high number of “red alert” constituencies — those where three or more contesting candidates have declared criminal cases. A total of 29 out of 43 constituencies, or 67 per cent, were designated as red alert constituencies.

Among the major political parties, the BJP has the highest proportion of candidates with criminal cases, with 56 per cent of its 36 candidates declaring such cases, the Congress follows with 65 per cent of its 17 candidates, while the JMM has 48 per cent of its 23 candidates. Other parties such as the RJD and the JDU have also reported significant numbers of candidates with criminal backgrounds.

The report criticised political parties for disregarding the Supreme Court directions that sought to reduce the number of candidates with criminal backgrounds.

“All major parties contesting in Jharkhand Elections Phase 1 have given tickets from 28 per cent to 100 per cent candidates who have declared criminal cases against themselves,” the report said.

The report further informs that 63 candidates have assets over ₹5 crore while 78 candidates have assets less than ₹5 crore.

“There are 235 (34 per cent) crorepati candidates. Almost all major political parties have given tickets to wealthy candidates. BJP leaders with 83 per cent of its candidates being crorepatis while JMM with 78 per cent and Congress (94 per cent),” the report states.

Independent candidate Kandomani Bhumij from Potka seat has the highest assets (over ₹80 crore) while Congress candidate K.N. Tripathy from Palamu is in second position with ₹70 crore and another Independent candidate Ayush Ranjan from Ranchi also has ₹70 crore assets.

Meera Munda, wife of former Union tribal affairs minister Arjun Munda and the BJP candidate from Potka, has the highest income according to the report (over ₹3 crore) followed by former IPS and former Jamshedpur MP, Ajoy Kumar, Congress candidate from Jamshedpur East (over ₹2 crore) while BJP candidate from Panki Kushwaha Sashi Bhushan Mehta has over ₹1 crore.