Northeast Desk, 8th April: In the aftermath of Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Phase I, the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) report sheds light on the prevalence of candidates with self-declared criminal cases across states, highlighting the notably low figures in northeastern states like Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Tripura.
According to the ADR report, Assam records only 5 out of 35 candidates with self-declared criminal cases, constituting 14% of the total pool. Among these, 3 candidates face serious criminal charges, representing 9% of the analyzed candidates. Similarly, Meghalaya and Tripura demonstrate higher moral standards, with 3 out of 10 (30%) and 1 out of 9 (11%) candidates respectively declaring criminal cases against them. Nagaland, with 3 candidates analyzed, registers only 1 (33%) candidate with a self-declared criminal case.
In contrast, other states exhibit significantly higher percentages of candidates with self-declared criminal cases. For instance, Uttar Pradesh, with 80 candidates analyzed, reports 28 (35%) candidates with criminal cases, while Bihar, with 38 candidates analyzed, records 11 (29%) such candidates.
These findings underscore the comparatively cleaner electoral landscape in the northeastern states, signaling a positive trend towards transparent and ethical governance in the region.