Criminal cases against 32 Assam candidates

Thirty-two candidates contesting the second phase of Assam Assembly elections have serious criminal cases against them, a private election watchdog said on Tuesday.

The second phase of Assembly polls in Assam will be held in 61 constituencies on April 11. The first phase was held on April 4 in 126 constituencies.

Though the number of constituencies in second phase is less, it has more candidates with serious charges. 

In the first phase, there were 25 candidates had serious criminal charges.

According to Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), of the 523 candidates in second phase, eight candidates of AIUDF have serious criminal cases, while the BJP has four such candidates, the Congress three and CPM one.

 Twelve out of 216 independent candidates also find their place in this list. ADR had analysed the affidavits of 523 out of 525 candidates.

Two candidates — Ananta Kumar Malo of the AIUDF from Abhayapuri South and Abul Kalam Rasheed Alam of Congress from Goalpara East — have declared murder cases against them.

Marigaon, has been declared a red alert constituency with three candidates with declared criminal cases contesting the polls. Red alert constituencies are those which have three or more candidates with criminal cases contesting elections.