The BJP, Congress and BJD flags.
Credit: PTI File Photos
Odisha's Phase 2 of Assembly elections will coincide with the Lok Sabha polls which are slated to take place on May 20, 2024.
Odisha will witness 35 assembly constituencies go to polls with 265 candidates in the fray. Moreover, on the very same day, 13 candidates will be vying for five Lok Sabha seats.
With the next phase right around the corner, the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) has come out with a report which analyses the criminal and financial background of a candidate contesting in the upcoming assembly elections.
Candidates with criminal cases
Out of the 265 candidates contesting, 87 (33 per cent) of them have declared criminal cases against themselves.
In the first phase of the assembly elections, 65 out of 243 candidates had declared criminal cases against themselves.
Serious Criminal Cases
70 candidates (26 per cent) have declared serious criminal cases against themselves.
Association of democratic reforms (ADR) has described serious criminal cases as that whose nature of crime involves assault, murder, kidnap, rape, or offences that are mentioned in representation of the People Act (Section 8), or offences under Prevention of Corruption Act, or offences related to the crimes against women
Candidates with cases related to murder and attempt to murder
Five of the candidates have declared cases related to murder (IPC Section -302) against themselves.
As per IPC Section 302, 'whoever commits murder shall be punished with death or imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine.'
16 candidates have declared cases related to attempt to murder (IPC Section 307) against themselves.
Candidates with cases related to crime against women
11 candidates have declared cases related to crime against women.
Red Alert constituencies
The report also states that 14 i.e. 40 per cent out of 35 constituencies are red alert constituencies. Red alert constituencies are those where 3 or more contesting candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves.
(Data sourced from ADR)