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BJP put up highest number of candidates with crimes against women for MP, MLA polls

Counterview Desk
In its note, “Women's Political Participation and Representation in India”, released on the International Women’s Day (March 8), the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has found that just nine per cent of MPs and MLAs across India are women, adding, among the state assemblies, none of the states have more than 10% women candidates.
Based on information posted on the website of the Election Commission of India (ECI), as reflected in the affidavits submitted by individual candidates to the ECI, ADR further finds that, among the major parties in the last 5 years, the higher number of 54 candidates with declared cases related to crimes against women were given tickets by BJP, followed by the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), 37 and the Indian National Congress 30.
Even as offering this information, ADR insists, “it does not add or subtract any information, unless the ECI changes the data. In particular, no unverified information from any other source is used. While all efforts have been made to ensure that the information is in keeping with what is available in the ECI website, in case of discrepancy between information in this report and that given in the ECI website, the information available ECI website should be treated as correct.”
Women's representation in state assemblies

Text of the ADR note:

Out of total 51,143 candidates analysed from across the country, only 4,173 (8%) are women. Among these 4,173 women candidates 546 (13%) candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves. Out of the 4,173 women candidates analysed, 1,060 (25%) are crorepatis. In the last three Lok Sabha elections, the number of candidates has been increased remarkably from 2004 to 2014 whereas the increase in the number of women candidates remained nominal.
Among the State Assemblies, none of the states had more than 10% women candidates in the elections. States such as Jharkhand, West Bengal, Sikkim and Chhattisgarh had highest percentage of women candidates contested in their respective assembly elections.
Out of total 4,865 MPs/MLAs analysed from across the country, only 440 (9%) are women. Among these 94 (21%) MPs/MLAs have declared criminal cases against themselves. Out of the 440 MPs/MLAs analysed, 310 (70%) are crorepatis. Among MPs, Lok Sabha has 66 (12%) out of 542 analysed and Rajya Sabha has 25 (11%) out of 228 MPs analysed are women. 
MPs/ MLAs with cases related to crime against women 
Out of 1642 (34%) MPs/MLAs analysed with declared criminal cases, 52 have declared cases related to crimes against women. Among these 52 MPs/MLAs with declared cases related to crimes against women, 45 are MLAs and 3 are MPs. 
480 candidates analysed who had declared cases related to crimes against women, were given tickets by recognized political parties. 125 independent candidates analysed with declared cases related to crimes against women had contested for Lok/Rajya Sabha and state assembly elections in last 5 years.
Among these candidates, 58 candidates were given tickets by parties for Lok Sabha / Rajya Sabha elections. Various recognized parties have given tickets to 422 candidates with cases related to crimes against women for state assemblies’ elections.

In the last 5 years, 18 independent candidates with declared cases related to crimes against women contested in the Lok Sabha/ Rajya Elections. Similarly, 107 independent candidates with declared cases related to crimes against women contested in the state assemblies’ elections.
Among the states, Maharashtra has the highest number of MPs/ MLAs i.e. 11, followed by West Bengal with 10 , Odisha and Andhra Pradesh each with 5 MPs/MLAs who have declared cases related crimes against women.
Among the states in the last 5 years, Maharashtra has the highest number of candidates i.e. 65, followed by Bihar with 63 and West Bengal with 52 candidates who were given tickets by political parties even though they have declared cases related to crimes against women in their affidavits.
Among various recognized parties, BJP has the highest number of MPs/MLAs i.e. 12, followed by INC with 7 and SHS (Shiv Sena) with 6 MPs/MLAs who have declared cases related crimes against women.
Among the major parties in the last 5 years, 54 candidates with declared cases related to crimes against women were given tickets by BJP. The second highest number of candidates, i.e. 37 who had declared cases related to crimes against women were given tickets by BSP, followed by 30 candidates from INC who had declared cases related to crimes against women who had contested for Lok/Rajya Sabha and State Assemblies Elections in last 5 years.
Following are 3 MLAs who have declared cases related to rape:
  • Gonuguntla Suryanarayana from TDP who has won from Dharmavaram constituency in Andhra Pradesh (2014)
  • Jethabhai G Ahir from BJP who has won from Shehra constituency in Gujarat (2017) 
  • Gulab Yadav from RJD who has won from Jhanjharpur constituency in Bihar(2015) 
In the last 5 years, recognized parties have given tickets to 44 candidates who had declared cases related to rape. In the last 5 years, 14 independent candidates with declared cases related to rape have contested for Lok/Rajya Sabha and State assemblies’ elections.

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