LS 4th phase: 64 candidates face serious charges in Maha

Mumbai: As many as 64 candidates out of the total 323 contestants in the fray for the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra are facing serious criminal charges, as per the analysis of their affidavits.

A total of 17 seats, including those in Mumbai region, will go to polls on April 29 in the final phase of elections in the state.

As per the analysis of the affidavits of 320 candidates, done by the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR), total 109 nominees (34 per cent) are crorepatis,

The constituencies up for grabs are Nandurbar, Dhule, Dindori, Nashik, Palghar, Bhiwandi, Kalyan, Thane, Mumbai North, Mumbai North West, Mumbai North East, Mumbai North Central, Mumbai South Central, Mumbai South, Maval, Shirur and Shirdi.

A total of 89 candidates (28 per cent) have declared criminal cases while 64 (20 per cent) nominees are facing serious criminal charges, including murder and attempt to murder, as per the ADR data.

Two candidates have been convicted by courts. While the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) candidate from Nashik is facing a case related to murder, three other nominees have been booked for attempt to murder, it said.