ADR रिपोर्ट- 5 राज्यों में 1405 दागियों ने लड़ा चुनाव:सुप्रीम कोर्ट के आदेश के बावजूद पार्टियां बता नहीं पाईं- 191 दागियों को टिकट क्यों दिया

According to a recent report released by the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR), political parties in five Indian states—Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Puducherry—have failed to adequately disclose reasons for fielding candidates with criminal backgrounds. The report, published on September 11, highlights a significant lack of compliance with Supreme Court directives requiring transparency regarding the selection of such candidates.

Out of a total of 8,848 candidates who contested in these assembly elections, the ADR found that parties submitted the mandatory C-7 disclosure forms for 1,214 candidates. However, for 191 candidates with criminal records, the required information was entirely absent. Tamil Nadu recorded the highest number of such cases, with 72 candidates lacking the necessary disclosures, followed by West Bengal with 55, Kerala with 27, Puducherry with 12, and Assam with 10.

The Supreme Court's mandate requires political parties to publish the C-7 form not only to acknowledge the existence of criminal cases against a candidate but also to provide a clear justification for why the individual was selected for a ticket. This includes explaining the candidate's qualifications and why the party deemed them suitable despite their criminal background. The ADR report suggests that many parties are bypassing these transparency requirements, raising concerns about the accountability of political organizations in the electoral process.