Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Fate of 724 women candidates to be decided tomorrow

THE fate of 724 women candidates in the just-concluded Lok Sabha polls will be decided on Thursday (23) when the results are announced.

A total of 7,928 candidates were in the fray in the parliamentary polls.


The Congress had fielded the maximum of 54 women candidates. The opposition party was closely followed by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which had fielded 53 women candidates.

Among the other national parties, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) fielded 24 women candidates, the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) 23, the CPI(M) 10, the CPI four, while one woman candidate was fielded by the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

As many as 222 women contested the polls independently.

Four transgender candidates also contested the polls independently, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was the only party to field a transgender nominee.

According to an analysis by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and the National Election Watch, 100 (15 per cent) women candidates declared criminal cases against themselves, while 78 (11 per cent) declared serious criminal cases against their names.

Two women candidates declared cases in which they were convicted, four declared cases related to murder, 16 had attempt to murder cases against them, 14 were accused of crimes against women such as causing miscarriage without a woman's consent while seven had cases related to hate speech registered against them, the report said.

Of the 100 women candidates with criminal cases against them, 13 are from the BJP, while 10 from the Congress.

The ADR report said of the 716 women candidates analysed, 255 (36 per cent) were crorepatis. Of the 665 women candidates analysed during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, 219 (33 per cent) were crorepatis.

Among the major parties, the average worth of assets per candidate for the Congress's women nominees is Rs 18.84 crore, while for the BJP candidates, it is Rs 22.09 crore. The average worth of assets of the BSP's women candidates is Rs 3.03 crore, while for the TMC nominees, it is Rs 2.67 crore.

The average worth of assets of the CPI-M's women candidates is Rs 1.33 crore, while for the Samajwadi Party (SP) it is Rs 39.85 crore and for the AAP, Rs 2.92 crore.

The average worth of assets of the 222 Independent women candidates is Rs 1.63 crore.

Hema Malini, the BJP candidate from Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, is the richest woman nominee in this election with assets worth Rs 250 crore, followed by Telugu Desam Party's (TDP) DA Sathya Prabha (Rs 220 crore) from Andhra Pradesh's Rajampet constituency and the Shiromani Akali Dal's Harsimrat Kaur Badal (Rs 217 crore) from Punjab's Bathinda, the affidavits showed.

Six women candidates -- all of whom contested the polls independently -- have declared zero assets in their self-sworn affidavits.

The ADR said 232 (32 per cent) women candidates declared their educational qualification to be between Class 5 and Class 12 pass, while 396 (55 per cent) declared having an educational qualification of graduate and above.

Thirty-seven women candidates have declared themselves to be just literate and 26 are illiterates. Two candidates did not give their educational qualification details.

The report further said 531 (74 per cent) women candidates declared their age to be between 25 and 50 years, while 180 (25 per cent) declared their age to be between 51 and 80 years.

While one woman candidate declared she was over 80 years of age, three did not disclose their age and one said her age was below 25 years, the report said.

(PTI)

More For You

international-students-uk-iStock

It found that 59 per cent of respondents believe universities would have less funding without higher fees from international students. (Representational image: iStock)

Majority in UK back international student migration, study finds

A NEW study by British Future has found that 61 per cent of Britons support maintaining or increasing current levels of international student migration.

The research, published on Sunday, shows that only 27 per cent want a reduction, despite international students making up around 40 per cent of total UK immigration.

Keep ReadingShow less
BAPS Hindu Mandir

The event, titled “Mandir: The Heart of Community,” was attended by UAE officials, community leaders, and devotees.

BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi celebrates first anniversary with 13,000 devotees

THE BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi marked its first anniversary with a large gathering, coinciding with the UAE’s Year of Community.

The event, titled “Mandir: The Heart of Community,” was attended by UAE officials, community leaders, and devotees.

Keep ReadingShow less
John Major

Major said that American isolationism under President Donald Trump is creating a power vacuum that benefits Russia and China. (Photo: Getty Images)

John Major warns US isolation strengthens Russia and China

FORMER prime minister Sir John Major has warned that democracy is under threat as the United States retreats from its global leadership role.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s The World This Weekend, Major said that American isolationism under President Donald Trump is creating a power vacuum that benefits Russia and China.

Keep ReadingShow less
Birmingham-stabbing

A 16-year-old boy was stabbed on Saturday afternoon in Bordesley Green. (Photo: X/@MarioNawfal)

Stabbings on the rise as Birmingham residents protest attack on teen

A RISE in stabbing incidents across the country has raised concerns, with another attack in Birmingham prompting a protest by local residents.

A 16-year-old boy was stabbed on Saturday afternoon in Bordesley Green. West Midlands Police said he was attacked at about 15:30 GMT and was taken to hospital with serious injuries. He is now in stable condition.

Keep ReadingShow less
Indian court sentences man to life for rape, murder of Irish woman
McLaughlin, 28, from County Donegal, was found dead in a field in Goa in March 2017. (Photo credit: Twitter)

Indian court sentences man to life for rape, murder of Irish woman

A COURT in India’s Goa state has sentenced a 31-year-old man to life in prison for the rape and murder of an Irish woman in 2017. The verdict was delivered on Monday, nearly eight years after the crime.

The body of 28-year-old Danielle McLaughlin was found in March 2017 on a beach popular with tourists. An autopsy confirmed that cerebral damage and constriction of the neck caused her death.

Keep ReadingShow less