Overview
- ADR and National Election Watch report that 32% of Phase-2 contenders have declared criminal cases, with 26% facing serious charges that include non-bailable offences and crimes against women.
- Seventy-three of the 122 constituencies set to vote in the second phase are flagged as red alert seats where three or more candidates face criminal cases.
- Wealth concentration is pronounced as 562 of 1,302 Phase-2 candidates are crorepatis, with some individuals declaring assets in the hundreds of crores.
- Major parties field significant shares of candidates with declared cases, including Congress at about 68%, BJP at 57%, RJD at 54% and JD(U) at 32%, based on affidavit analysis.
- Women account for roughly 10% of the Phase-2 field, and ADR renews calls for reforms such as stricter disqualifications and greater party transparency ahead of the November 11 polling and November 14 counting.