74 contestants in Punjab election have criminal background

CHANDIGARH: More than 74 candidates in the fray in Punjab assembly elections have criminal charges on them and SAD(B) had maximum number of  28 candidates having criminal background, Congress came on second with 12 and BSP got third having 9.
 

If a look has been given to the education of the contesting candidates, only 48 candidates are postgraduate, 147 are graduates and the remaining 860 candidates are matriculates and non matriculates.
 
The youngest candidates contested were Ram Singh, Harjinder Singh, Ashu Arora just 25 years old and an octogenarian fielded by SAD from Nabha seat, Narinder Singh (82). There were just 26% candidates, who were below the age of 40.
 
Bibi Jagir Kaur was the richest contested candidate having assets more than others. She has declared assetts worth Rs.90 crores. As per the records, 318 out of 1055 candidates have filled PAN numbers in their affidavits. Perhaps most of the candidates have shown their income as agriculture income which is entirely tax free. Congress party candidate Balbir Singh Sidhu (Khara) who is a liquor contractor didn’t even filed his PAN number.

The number of women candidates is 54 as compared to 71 in the 2002 poll. There are just four constituencies -- Amritsar Central, Jalandhar Cantt, Chamkaur Sahib (SC) and Kharar where the number of contesting women is more than one. The maximum number of 18 candidates each is in fray in two constituencies of Ludhiana Rural and Patiala Town.