Date:18/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/18/stories/2008051853640400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

32 with criminal charges are in the fray

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: Even as the State prepares for the third phase of polling for the Assembly elections, the list of candidates includes a large number of candidates having criminal background from three major parties. A study, “Karnataka Election Watch 2008”, released by the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) shows that the wealth of candidates has increased multifold since the last elections in 2004. ADR spokesperson Trilochan Sastry told presspersons here on Saturday that there were 36 candidates with grievous criminal charges such as murder, attempt to murder, bribery, cheating, dacoity, forgery, rape and theft. Of them, 27 were from major political parties.

The BJP tops the list of parties having candidates with criminal cases against them with 12 candidates followed by the Janata Dal (Secular) with seven and the Congress with six. Eleven other candidates have criminal records.

Mr. Sastry said the ADR was careful to include only those charges that were serious in nature. One BJP candidate faced charges of murder while in the Congress, four of them faced charges of murder.

The Janata Dal (Secular) has one such case. The document says 140 candidates with serious criminal charges have contested in all the three phases of elections so far.

The document states that there are 22 candidates who faced grievous charges in 2004 but the nature of their offences have changed after they became MLAs or when their parties came to power. The ADR wants the authorities to investigate into the charges. Giving details about the volume of wealth accumulated by the candidates contesting in the third phase, the document says the candidates have amassed wealth of Rs. 199.02 crores since the last elections in 2004.