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As many as 23 candidates contesting for the Surat Municipal Corporation Elections 2021 declared serious criminal charges against themselves, said an analysis report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Gujarat Election Watch on February 19, 2021.
The report analyses the criminal, financial and other background details of 452 out of 484 candidates. 200 (44 percent) of the candidates analysed were women. Other affidavits were not analysed due to unavailability of the same at the time at the time of the report.
As per the report, seven candidates (seven percent) out of 106 Congress (INC) candidates declared serious charges against themselves. Two (25 percent) out of eight RJCP candidates declared serious criminal charges against themselves.
Serious criminal charges refer to non-bailable offences requiring a maximum punishment of 5 years or more such as assault, murder, kidnap, sexual assault, electoral offence, offence related to loss to exchequer, crimes against women and offences under Representation of the People Act and Prevention of Corruption Act.
Meanwhile, six (five percent) out of 113 BJP candidates, five (five percent) out of 103 AAP candidates, two (eight percent) out of 26 NCP candidates and one (two percent) out of 60 independent candidates declared serious charges against themselves in their affidavits.
Similarly, 43 (10 percent) of the 452 candidates analysed in the report declared criminal cases against themselves. As many as 18 out of 106 INC candidates (17 percent) declared criminal cases in their affidavits. RJCP recorded the highest percentage of candidates – 25 percent – with criminal cases that amounted to two out of eight candidates in the party.
BJP declared seven out 113 candidates (six percent) with criminal records. Eight out of 103 AAP candidates (eight percent,) 2 out of 26 NCP candidates (eight percent,) one out of 26 BSP candidates (four percent,) and five out of 60 Independent candidates (eight percent) declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.
Regarding financial background, the report stated that 81 (18 percent) out of the 452 analysed candidates are crorepatis. A party-wise distinction showed that BJP had the highest number and percentage of such candidates with 50 (44 percent) out of 113 candidates declaring themselves as crorepatis. The top three candidates with highest assets, Dharmeshbhai Gordhanbhai Sarasiya, Amitaben Bharatbhai Patel and Nileshbhai Sureshabhai Patel, are also from BJP.
Accordingly, 13 (12 percent) out of 106 INC candidates, 12 (12 percent) out of 103 AAP candidates, 2 (8 percent) out of 26 NCP candidates and 4 (7 percent) out of 60 Independent candidates declared assets valued more than Rs 1 crore.
The average of assets per candidates is Rs.1.13 crore with the party-wise distinctions as Rs.3.08 crores for 113 BJP candidates, Rs.74.12 lakhs for 106 INC candidates, Rs.47.11 lakhs for 103 AAP candidates, Rs.55.09 lakhs for 26 NCP candidates and Rs.8.20 lakhs for 26 BSP candidates.
Further details of the report can be viewed below:
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