In the ongoing Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, the third phase has revealed some concerning trends regarding the candidates. Out of 415 candidates contesting across 40 constituencies, 16% (67 candidates) have declared criminal cases against themselves. Among these, 13% (52 candidates) have serious criminal charges listed in their affidavits.
Major Political Parties and Criminal Backgrounds
The analysis by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) highlights that the Indian National Congress (INC) leads in fielding candidates with criminal backgrounds. The breakdown is as follows:
- Indian National Congress (INC): 21% of its candidates have declared criminal cases.
- People’s Democratic Party (PDP): 12% of its candidates have criminal cases.
- National Conference (NC): 11% of its candidates have criminal cases.
- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP): Only 3% of its candidates have declared criminal cases.
Among the serious charges, five candidates are accused of attempted murder, which falls under Section 307 of the Indian Penal Code.
Candidate Wealth and Education
The wealth distribution among candidates shows that 41% are “crorepatis,” meaning they have assets worth over ₹1 crore. Notably, Devender Singh Rana from the BJP has the highest declared assets at ₹126 crore, while Sajad Gani Lone has the highest liabilities at ₹7 crore.
In terms of education, 45% of candidates reported having completed education between grades 5 and 12, whereas 52% claimed to hold a graduate degree or higher.
Age and Gender Representation
The age demographics reveal that:
- 32% of candidates are between 25 and 40 years old.
- 48% fall within the age range of 41 to 60 years.
- 20% are between 61 and 80 years old.
On a gender note, only 7% of candidates are women, indicating a significant gender gap in political representation.
Out of the 40 constituencies in this phase, 11 (28%) are classified as “red alert constituencies.” This designation means that three or more candidates in these areas have declared criminal cases against themselves.
The findings from this phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections raise serious questions about the integrity and accountability of political candidates. The presence of numerous candidates with criminal backgrounds, coupled with a lack of female representation, highlights ongoing challenges in the electoral process. As voting continues, these issues will likely be at the forefront of discussions surrounding political reform in the region.