SHIMLA:  As many as 94 candidates(23 per cent) seeking  election to the 13^th Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabah have declared criminal cases against themselves, reveals HPEW and ADR report released to media here today.

The two major political rivals, Congress and BJP, Congress  has fielded 56(82%) candidates and BJP has fielded 35 candidates, who are Crorepatis. 

This trend shows that use of money and muscle power continue to increase in Himachal politics over the years, reveal analysts.   

Himachal Pradesh Election Watch(HPEW) and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), civil society grop working for electoral reforms in India,  have analysed the self-sworn affidavits of all 412 candidates who are contesting in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022 to prepare its report.

Out of 412 candidates analysed, 201 are from National parties, 67 are from State parties, 45 are from registered unrecognized parties and 99 candidates are contesting independently.

 Mukesh Agnihotri (INC), who is contesting election from Haroli constituency has not been analysed as his ITR annexures pages were not available with affidavit on the ECI and CEO websites.

Candidates with Criminal Cases

 Out of 412 candidates analyzed, 94 (23%) candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves. In 2017 Himachal Pradesh Assembly Elections, out of 338 candidates analysed, 61(18%) had declared criminal cases against themselves.

Candidates with Serious Criminal Cases: 50(12%) have declared serious criminal cases against themselves. In 2017 Himachal Pradesh Assembly Elections, 31(9%) candidates had declared serious criminal cases against themselves.

Party wise Candidates with Criminal Cases

 As many as 7 (64%) out of 11 candidates analysed are from CPI(M),  36 (53%) out of 68 candidates analysed from INC and  12 (18%) out of 68 candidates analysed are from BJP.

12 (18%) out of 67 candidates analysed are from AAP and 2 (4%) out of 53 candidates analysed from BSP have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.

Out of these, five candidates have declared cases related to crime against women under section IPC Section-302 against themselves.

Three say they face attempt to Attempt to murder (IPC Section-307) against themselves, reveal the ADR and HPEW report.

There are  9(13%) out of 68 constituencies which have been declared  as Red alert constituencies by ECI.

Red alert constituencies are those where 3 or more contesting candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves. 

The parties seemed to have cared two hoots to  directions of the Supreme Court that tickets be given to clean candidates.

The parties have again followed their old practice of giving tickets to around 23% candidates with criminal cases.

 During the recent 10 State Assembly elections held in 2021-22, it was observed that political parties gave unfounded and baseless reasons like popularity of the person, does good social work, cases are politically motivated to defend their pleas.

ADR and HPEW however say that parties have no  sound and cogent reasons for fielding candidates with tainted backgrounds.

It showed political parties have no interest in reforming the electoral system. Our democracy will continue to suffer at the hands of lawbreakers who become lawmakers, ADR report says. 

The parties have fielded wealthy candidates as many as 226 candidates are crorepatis(56 per cent).

As many as 86 candidates have wealth above Rs 5 Crore, 76 have wealth worth Rs 2 crore to Rs 5 crore, 121 say they have wealth between Rs 2 Crore and Rs 50 lakh.

Table: Share of wealth amongst contesting candidates

Crorepati Candidates: Out of the 412 candidates, 226(55%) are crorepatis. 

In 2017 Himachal Pradesh Assembly Elections, out of 338 candidates, 158 (47%) were crorepatis.

When compared with 2017 elections, the role of money power in Himachal elections is making steady inroads into politics in the hill state reeling under Rs 70,000 Crore debt.   

Among the major parties 61(90%) out of 68 candidates analysed from INC, 56(82%) out of 68 candidates analysed from BJP, 35(52%) out of 67 candidates analysed from AAP, 4(36%) out of 11 candidates analysed from CPI(M) and 13(25%) out of 53 candidates analysed from BSP have declared assets valued more than Rs 1 crore.

The average of assets per candidate contesting in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022 is Rs 4.65 Crores. 

In 2017 Himachal Pradesh Assembly Elections, average assets per candidate for 338 candidates was Rs.4.07 crores.

Among major parties, the average assets per candidate for 68 INC candidates analysed is Rs. 11.82 Crores, 68 BJP candidates analysed is Rs 7.30 Crores, 11 CPI(M) candidates analysed is Rs 4.08 Crores, 67 AAP candidates have average assets of Rs 3.71 Crores and 53 BSP candidates have average assets worth Rs.86.07 Lakhs.

The three top  candidates with highest declared assets, contesting in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly Elections are given below:

Candidates with high liabilities: 294(71%) candidates have declared liabilities in their affidavits. The details of top three candidates with highest liabilities are given below:

As many as 154(37%) candidates have  declared their educational qualifications to be between 5^th and 12^th standard, while 246 (60%) candidates have declared having an educational qualification of graduate or above.

Eight (2%) candidates are Diploma holders and  2 candidates have declared themselves to be just literate and 2 candidates are Illiterates.

As far as age is concerned, 91(22%) candidates have declared their age to be between 25 to 40 years while 240 (58%) candidates have declared their age to be between 41 to 60 years. 

There are 80(19%) candidates who have declared their age to be between 61 to 80 years and one candidate has declared his age 82 years.

The parties continue to perpetuate gender bias in allotment of tickets to women.

As many as  24(6%) female candidates are contesting in the Himachal Pradesh assembly election 2022. In 2017 Himachal Pradesh Assembly Elections, 19(6%) out of 338 candidates analysed were women.

ADR and HPEW recommend that Supreme Court of India should reprimand political parties and politicians for their complete lack of will, reprehensible predilection and absence of required laws. 

There should be a permanent disqualification of candidates convicted for heinous crimes like murder, rape, smuggling, dacoity, kidnapping.

The parties fielding tainted candidates, tax exemptions given to them must be cancelled and should be brought under RTI.