Amravati, April 9: The Andhra Pradesh Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) have analysed the self-sworn affidavits of 2007 out of 2,118 candidates, who are contesting in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections. There are 111 candidates who have not been analysed due to the unavailability of their complete and properly scanned affidavits on the ECI website at the time of making the report.
The report states that out of the 2007 candidates analysed, 331 (17%) have declared criminal cases against themselves. In 2014 the elections, 277 (21%) out of 1,309 candidates analysed, had declared criminal cases against themselves. A total of 220 (11%) candidates have declared serious criminal cases against themselves. In the 2014 elections, 146 (11%) candidates had declared serious criminal cases against themselves.
Among major parties, 48 (28%) out of 172 candidates from the Telegu Desam Party (TDP), 97 (57%) out of 171 candidates from YSRCP, 19 (11%) out of 169 candidates from BJP, 23 (14%) out of 166 candidates from the Congress party and 26 (21%) out of 127 candidates from Janasena Party, have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.
Similarly, 27 (16%) out of 172 candidates from TDP, 57 (33%) out of 171 candidates from YSRCP, 10 (6%) out of 169 candidates from the BJP, 16 (10%) out of 166 candidates from the Congress and 17 (13%) out of 127 candidates from Janasena Party have declared serious criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.
Twenty-eight candidates have declared cases related to crime against women such as assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty (IPC Section-354), Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman (IPC Section-509) etc. against themselves, the report stated.
PNN