Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Did you know 123 of 1,352 candidates in third phase are women?

Only 9% of the 1,352 candidates running in the third round of the Lok Sabha elections are women, and 18% have filed criminal charges against themselves, according to a recent study from the ADR.

Seven candidates have also declared prior convictions, according to an analysis of details of candidates contesting the elections in the third phase by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and The National Election Watch.

The third phase of the elections will take place on May 7. Among the 244 applicants with criminal history, five face murder accusations, while 24 have been arrested for attempted murder.

Criminal cases and hate speech & more

In addition, 38 candidates have been tied to crimes against women, including 17 recognized incidents of hate speech. The investigation, which was based on the 1,352 candidates' self-sworn affidavits, revealed tendencies in crime and wealth gain among political contenders.

The proportion of criminal charges varies dramatically among major political parties, with data indicating troubling patterns among candidates from big parties such as the BJP, Congress, and the Samajwadi Party. The study also emphasized the contenders' different financial backgrounds.

Assets declared

It disclosed that 29 per cent or 392 candidates are "crorepatis", with the average assets per candidate standing at a substantial Rs 5.66 crore.

The top three candidates in terms of declared assets possess wealth ranging into hundreds of crores, with the highest declared assets surpassing Rs 1,361 crore.

Since the submission of nominations and affidavits, the Congress nominee from Indore has withdrew his candidacy.

Educational background

The analysis also delves into the educational and demographic backgrounds of the candidates.

According to the research, 47% of applicants, or 639, have educational levels ranging from grades 5 to 12, while 44%, or 591, are graduates or hold higher educational degrees.

Age-wise, 30% (411 candidates) are between the ages of 25 and 40, while 53% (712 candidates) are between the ages of 41 and 60. The research also shows a gender gap in candidate selection, with just 9%, or 123 women, contesting the third phase of the elections.