Serious questions are being raised about the democratic process in India’s Bihar state, as a new report has made shocking revelations about the criminal backgrounds of candidates.
According to a joint report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Bihar Election Watch, nearly one-third (32%) of the candidates participating in the first phase of the assembly elections have criminal cases registered against them.
The situation becomes even more alarming as the report highlights that 27% of these candidates face serious charges, including murder, attempted murder, and crimes against women.
The report meticulously analyzed the self-sworn affidavits of 1,303 out of 1,314 candidates. This scrutiny found that 423 candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves.
The specifics are deeply concerning: 33 candidates are facing murder charges, and 86 are charged with attempted murder. Even more disturbingly, 42 candidates face charges related to crimes against women, including two who are accused of rape.
The report also shows that this issue is not confined to one party but is widespread across the political landscape. 93% of candidates from the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), 76% from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and 65% from the BJP have declared cases against them.
