[National Election Watch news] Press Release: Phase II Bihar 2015 Assemby Elections: 31% or 142 out of 456 Candidates declared criminal cases.

Criminal Background

·         Candidates with Criminal Cases: Out of all the 456 candidates, 142 (31%) candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves.

·         Candidates with Serious Criminal Cases: 110 (24%) candidates have declared serious criminal cases including cases related to murder, attempt to murder, communal disharmony, kidnapping, crimes against women etc.

·         Candidates with cases related to murder: 11 candidates have declared cases related to murder (Indian Penal Code Section-302). Ramendra Ram of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) from Chenari (SC)constituency has declared 2 charges related to murder while rest of the candidates face one charge each. 2candidates of Garib Janata (Secular), 1 of Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation (CPI (ML)(L)), 1 candidate fielded by Rashtriya Lok Samta Party, 1 by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and 5 Independent candidates have declared cases related to murder in their affidavits.

·         Candidates with cases related to Attempt to Murder: 36 candidates have declared cases ofattempt to murder (IPC Section-307). Munna Ram, a CPI (ML)(L) candidate from Mohania constituency faces 4 charges related to attempt to murder. Ramendra Ram of the BSP from Chenari (SC) constituency and Prabhat Kumar Ranjan of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) from Ghosi constituency have declared 3 charges related to attempt to murder. While CPI (ML)(L) fielded 4 candidates facing charges related to attempt to murder, BSP fielded 3. 12 Independent candidates have each declared charges related to attempt to murder.

·         Candidates with cases related to Crimes against Women: 6 candidates have declared cases related to crimes against women. 1 candidate fielded by BSP, 1 by RJD, 1 by Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha and 1 Independent candidate have each declared offence related to assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty (IPC Section-354).

·         Candidates with cases related to causing Communal Disharmony: 2 candidates have declared cases relating to causing communal disharmony. Pradeep Kumar Joshi of Rashtra Sewa Dal fromDheri constituency has declared 2 charges related to deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs (IPC Section-295A) and 1case related to promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony (IPC Section-153A). Vikas Singh, an Independent candidate from Bhabua constituency has declared 1 charge related topromoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony (IPC Section-153A) and 1 charge related to injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class (IPC Section-295).

·         Candidates with cases related to Robbery and Dacoity: 4 candidates have declared cases related to robbery and dacoity. Naresh Kumar Bharti, an Independent candidate from Bodh Gaya (SC)constituency has declared 2 charges related to dacoity (IPC Section-395) and 1  charge each related tomaking preparation to commit dacoity (IPC Section-399) and assembling for purpose of committing dacoity (IPC Section - 402). Satyendra Sah of Samajwadi Party (SP) from Sasaram constituency has declared 1 charge each related to dacoity (IPC Section-395) and robbery, or dacoity, with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt (IPC Section-397).

·         Candidates with cases related to Kidnapping: 5 candidates have declared cases related toKidnapping. 3 candidates have declared offence related to kidnapping for ransom etc. (IPC Section-364A).

·         Party wise Candidates with Criminal Cases: 11 (69%) out of 16 candidates from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), 4 (31%) out of 13 candidates from Communist Party of India (CPI), 15 (47%) out of 32 candidates from BSP, 9 (69%) out of 13 candidates fielded by Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)), 6 (32%) out of 19 candidates from SP, 9 (69%) out of 13 candidates of RJD, 4 (67%) out of 6 candidates fielded by Indian National Congress (INC), 1 (7%) out of 14 candidates of Shiv Sena (SHS) along with 9 (47%) out of 19 candidates of the CPI(ML) (L) and 34 (23%) out of 146 Independent candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.

·         Party wise Candidates with Serious Criminal Cases:  6 (38%) out of 16 candidates from BJP, 2 (15%) out of 13 candidates from CPI, 11 (34%) out of 32 candidates from BSP, 5 (38%) out of 13 candidates fielded by JD(U), 5 (26%) out of 19 candidates from SP, 9 (69%) out of 13 candidates of RJD, 1 (17%) out of 6 candidates fielded by INC, 1 (7%) out of 14 candidates of SHS along with 9 (47%) out of 19 candidates of the CPI(ML) (L) and 31 (21%) out of 146 Independent candidates have declared serious criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.

·         Red Alert Constituencies*: 23 constituencies in the second phase of Bihar assembly elections have 3 or more candidates with declared criminal cases. Aurangabad constituency with 9 candidates has the highest number of candidates who have self-declared criminal cases against themselves.
*Red Alert Constituencies are those which have 3 or more candidates with criminal cases contesting elections.