42 candidates of 523 have criminal backgrounds in second phase Assam polls

Of the 523 candidates who are up for elections in the second phase of Assam polls, 42 candidates have a history of criminal background, revealed a report by election watchdog Assam Election Watch. That makes about 8% of the candidates, and it is up from the 6% in the first phase. In the first phase, of the 539 candidates, 30 were found to have a criminal background.

In the second phase, of the 42 candidates, 32 candidates, or 6%, have declared serious criminal cases, including cases related to murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, and crimes against women.

Two candidates, Ananta Kumar Malo of the AIUDF who is standing from Abhayapuri South constituency, and Abul Kalam Rasheed Alam, of Congress, from Goalpara East constituency have declared cases of murder against their name. Congress's Amrit Badsha from Bilasipara East constituency and Ujjal Deb, an independent from Lumding constituency, have cases of attempt to murder.

Two candidates, AIUDF's Abdul Samad Choudhury from Rangiya constituency, and The National Road Map Party of India's Javed Hussain Tanwar contesting from Gauhati West constituency have declared charges related to assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty.

Morigaon constituency has three candidates with criminal cases against them. As per EC reports, in Assam polls Flying Squad and Static Surveillance Team, and police seizures in poll related incidents have come up to a total of ?9.12 crore till April 4 in police seizures, and ?2.01 crore till April 3 in income tax seizures.

Prominent Congress candidate Khorsing Engti, who is contesting from Howraghat constituency in Karbi Anglong, has been under the EC scanner because his wife was caught with ?4 lakh in cash while travelling in a car.

Another Congress candidate, Bharat Narah, who's up for elections from Dhokuwakhana has also be caught on camera standing aside while one of his aides is distributing ?1,000 notes a poll meeting.