New Delhi: As many as 4,173 (8 per cent) of total 51,141 candidates including 4,865 MPs and MLAs across the country are women and 440 (9 per cent) of total 4,865 sitting lawmakers are women, said Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) & National Election Watch on Friday.
None of the states had more than 10 per cent of women candidates in the elections, as per a statement. “States such as Jharkhand, West Bengal, Sikkim, and Chhattisgarh had the highest percentage of women candidates contested in their respective assembly elections,” it said. “Out of the 4,173 women candidates analysed, 1060 (25 per cent) are crorepatis.” In the last three Lok Sabha Elections, the number of candidates has been increased remarkably from 2004 to 2014 whereas the increase in the number of women candidates remained nominal, it added.
As many as 94 (21 per cent) women MPs and MLAs have declared criminal cases against themselves. “Out of the 440 MPs and MLAs analysed, 310 (70 per cent) are crorepatis. Among MPs, Lok Sabha has 66 (12 per cent) out of 542 analysed and Rajya Sabha has 25 (11 per cent) out of 228 MPs analysed are women,” it said. Among the state Assemblies, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and West Bengal have the highest percentage of women MLAs, it said.
Out of 1, 642 (34 per cent) MPs and MLAs analysed with declared criminal cases, 52 have declared cases related to crimes against women. “Among these 52 MPs and MLAs with declared cases related to crimes against women, 45 are MLAs and thtee are MPs.” As many as 480 candidates analysed who had declared cases related to crimes against women, were given tickets by recognized political parties. As many as 125 independent candidates analysed with declared cases related to crimes against women had contested for Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and state Assembly elections in the last five years.
“Among these candidates, 58 candidates were given tickets by parties for Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha elections. Various recognised parties have given tickets to 422 candidates with cases related to crimes against women for state Assembly elections,” it said. In the last five years, 18 independent candidates with declared cases related to crimes against women contested in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha elections, it said. “Similarly, 107 independent candidates with declared cases related to crimes against women contested in the state Assembly elections,” it said.
“Among the states, Maharashtra has the highest number of MPs and MLAs — 11, followed by West Bengal with 10, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh each with five MPs and MLAs who have declared cases related crimes against women,” it said. “Among the states in the last five years, Maharashtra has the highest number of candidates — 65, followed by Bihar with 63 and West Bengal with 52 candidates who were given tickets by political parties even though they have declared cases related to crimes against women in their affidavits.”
The Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) has the highest number of MPs and MLAs — 12, followed by Congress with seven and Shiv Sena with six, who have declared cases related crimes against women. Among the major parties in the last five years, 54 candidates with declared cases related to crimes against women were given tickets by the BJP. “The second highest number of candidates — 37 who had declared cases related to crimes against women were given tickets by BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party), followed by 30 candidates from Congress who had declared cases related to crimes against women who had contested for Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and state Assembly elections in last five years,” it said.
In the last five years, recognised parties have given tickets to 44 candidates who had declared cases related to rape, it said. “In the last five years, 14 independent candidates with declared cases related to rape have contested for Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and state Assembly elections,” it said.