2015 Delhi Assembly Election - Over 100 candidates have criminal cases against them, including one for murder

 

As many as 19 of Delhi’s 70 Assembly constituencies are locked in a contest between at least three candidates with criminal cases. 

Election watchdog the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has released its survey of candidates for the upcoming Delhi polls, presenting observations that will interest the informed voter.

The prestigious New Delhi seat, once the bastion of former three-term chief minister Sheila Dikshit which switched sides to elect AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal in 2013, is among the 19 constituencies described as ‘red alert’ seats. 

In all, 114 of the 673 candidates - around 17% - contesting the February 7,2015 elections have declared criminal cases against them, 74 of them facing serious charges such as murder, attempt to murder, assault, causing loss to exchequer and crime against women. 

According to the report, 27 of the 69 candidates fielded by the BJP have declared criminal cases against them - at 39 % the highest of all parties

The BJP is followed by AAP, with 21 ‘criminal’ candidates’ and the Congress (12 of 70). Furthermore, 17 BJP candidates (25 per cent) face serious criminal charges, while AAP and Congress have fielded 11 (16 per cent) such candidates each.