Only 10.36% Women Candidates in Fray from Assam, Kerala, Puducherry And Tamil Nadu, Finds Report

The National Election Watch and Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) has found that a very small percentage of the candidates in fray in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu are women. According to the ADR report, among the 5,751 candidate profiles it analysed from the four poll-bound states only 10.36 percent were women.

The report that was released on Thursday said while 5,155 men were contesting from 530 constituencies, only 596 women were in the fray. The National Election Watch and ADR analysed the self-sworn affidavits of 5,751 candidates out of the total of 6,225 candidates who are contesting in Puducherry, Assam, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

A total of 474 candidates — five in Assam, 29 in Kerala, one in Puducherry and 439 in Tamil Nadu — were not analysed due to unclear affidavits available on the ECI website at the time of making this report, the report said.

Out of total 941 candidates analysed from Assam, 865 are men while 76 (eight percent) are women. In Kerala, 824 candidates are men out of 928 analysed. Only 104 (11 percent) are women, the report said. The 30-member Puducherry assembly will see the fight of 323 candidates, including 287 men and 36 (11 percent) women. In Tamil Nadu, there are 3,559 candidates in the fray with 3,179 men and 380 (11 percent) women.

32 percent seats are ‘Red Alert Constituencies’

The report said that 170 (32 percent) out of 530 constituencies had three or more candidates with declared criminal cases, making them ‘red alert constituencies’.

Out of 126 assemblies in Assam, 13 (10 percent) are Red Alert Constituencies. In Kerala, 75 (54 percent) out of 140 seats are ‘red alert constituencies’.

While eight out of 30 assemblies in Puducherry are Red Alert Constituencies, 74 (32 percent) of 234 constituencies in Tamil Nadu are having three or more candidates with declared criminal cases, the report said.

Over 17 percent candidates with criminal cases

Out of all the candidates analysed, 1,013 (17.61 percent) have declared they have criminal cases against them, with 511 (8.88 percent) facing serious criminal charges.

In Assam, out of 941 candidates, 138 (15 percent) have declared criminal cases, including 109 (12 percent) with serious charges.

Out of 928 candidates analysed from Kerala, 355 (38 percent) have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits, including 167 (18 percent) facing serious criminal cases.

Similarly, out of 323 candidates from Puducherry, 54 (17 percent) have declared criminal cases against themselves. This includes 28 (nine percent) with declared serious criminal cases against themselves.

In Tamil Nadu, 466 (13 percent) of the 3,559 candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves. At least 207 (six percent) have declared serious criminal cases against themselves.

On April 6, all of Kerala’s 140 assembly seats, Puducherry’s 30 seats and Tamil Nadu’s 234 go to polls. Assam will have its third and last phase of elections on April 6 on 40 seats.

The election results for all the constituencies will be declared on May 2.