As India prepares for the Lok Sabha election results on Tuesday, there are 2,572 candidates who are millionaires while 1,643 candidates have criminal cases registered against them, according to election watchdog ADR.
An analysis by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch has illuminated the profiles of the candidates.
Out of the 8,360 candidates contesting, 8,337 have been analysed, revealing significant insights into their backgrounds, including criminal records, financial status, education, and gender representation.
The analysis revealed that 20% of the candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves, indicating an increase from 19% in 2019, 17% in 2014, and 15% in 2009.
Of the 8,337 candidates analysed, 1,643 have criminal cases, while 1,191 (14 per cent) face serious criminal charges, including those related to rape, murder, and crimes against women.
The financial profiles of the candidates show a substantial number of wealthy individuals running for office.
Out of the total candidates, 31 per cent are crorepatis (millionaires), which translates to 2,572 candidates.
This is a notable increase from previous elections, indicating a trend towards more affluent candidates entering the political fray.
The average assets per candidate amount to Rs 6.23 crores, reflecting significant wealth among the contesting candidates.
The elections were conducted in seven phases, with varying candidate statistics for each phase.
In the first phase, 16 per cent of the candidates had criminal cases, with 10 per cent facing serious charges.
By the seventh phase, 22 per cent of the candidates had criminal cases, and 17 per cent had serious charges.
The percentage of crorepati candidates also varied across phases, ranging from 28 per cent in Phase 1 to 39 per cent in Phase 6.
The 2024 general elections were held in seven phases between April 19 to June 1. Counting of votes will be taken up on June 4.
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