Assam Election Watch and the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) have reviewed the self-sworn affidavits of all 35 candidates running in the Phase-I Lok Sabha elections 2024 across 5 constituencies in Assam. Among the candidates scrutinized, 5 individuals (14%) have declared criminal cases against themselves.

The analysis has further unveiled significant findings regarding financial standings, educational qualifications, age demographics, and gender representation among the contenders.

Criminal Background:

The five candidates with such criminal are Rishiraj Kaundinya, Gaurav Gogoi, Alam Ali, Premlal Ganju, and Sailen Chandra Malakar.

According to data released by ADR, AAP’s Rishiraj Kaundinya faces seven registered criminal cases under various IPC sections, including charges such as cheating, forgery, and breach of trust.

Congress candidate Gaurav Gogoi is involved in one criminal case, cited under various sections of IPC related to causing harm to deter public servants from their duties, rioting, obstruction of public ways, and disobedience to orders.

Bahujan Maha Party candidate Alam Ali and Congress candidate Premlal Ganju each have one declared criminal case against them. Similarly, Bharatiya Gana Parishad candidate Sailen Chandra Malakar faces one criminal case under two IPC sections related to criminal trespass and causing damage.

Candidates with Serious Criminal Cases: 3(9%) candidates have declared serious criminal cases against themselves.

Financial Background

Crorepati Candidates: Out of the 35 candidates, 15 (43%) candidates have assets worth more than Rs. 1 crore.

Average assets: The average of assets per candidate contesting in the Assam Phase I Lok Sabha Elections is Rs. 2.17 Crores.

Candidates with high Assets:

Diluwara Begum Chowdhury, an Independent candidate contesting from the Kaziranga constituency, Manoj Dhanowar representing the Aam Aadmi Party in the Dibrugarh constituency, and Ranjit Dutta from the BJP, running in the Sonitpur constituency, emerge as the three candidates with the highest assets.

Candidates with low Assets:

Pallab Pegu, representing the Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) in the Lakhimpur constituency, Saleh Ahmed Mazumdar from the Republican Party of India (Athawale), standing for election in the Kaziranga constituency, and Salim Ahmed of the Asom Jana Morcha, also contesting in the Kaziranga constituency, are candidates with relatively low assets.

Candidates with high liabilities:

Nineteen candidates, comprising 54% of the total, have disclosed high liabilities in their affidavits. Notable among them are Uday Shankar Hazarika of the Indian National Congress, contesting from Lakhimpur, Ranjit Dutta representing the BJP in Sonitpur, and Diluwara Begum Chowdhury, an Independent candidate standing in the Kaziranga constituency.

Candidates with high income as declared in ITR:

The following table highlights the three candidates who have reported the highest incomes in their Income Tax Returns (ITR):

1. Gaurav Gogoi, the Congress candidate from Jorhat, leads the list with a total income, including that of the candidate, spouse, and dependents, amounting to Rs 69,51,900 (69 Lacs+).

2. Uday Shankar Hazarika, another Congress candidate, this time from Lakhimpur, follows closely with a total reported income in the ITR of Rs 68,12,540 (68 Lacs+).

3. Ranjit Dutta, the BJP candidate from Sonitpur, secures the third position with a total income declared in the ITR amounting to Rs 39,80,627 (39 Lacs+).

Other Background Details

Education details of candidates: 13(37%) candidates have declared their educational qualifications to be between 5 th and 12th standard while 20(57%) candidates have declared having an educational qualification of graduate or above. 2 candidates are Diploma holders.

Age details of candidates: 5(14%) candidates have declared their age to be between 25 to 40 years while 23 (66%) candidates have declared their age to be between 41 to 60 years. There are 7(20%) candidates who have declared their age to be between 61 to 70 years.

Gender details of candidates: 4(11%) female candidates are contesting in the Assam for Lok Sabha Phase I election 2024.

Asset Details of candidates

Among the 35 candidates competing in the Phase-I Lok Sabha elections 2024 across 5 constituencies in Assam, independent candidate Diluwara Begum Chowdhury emerges as the frontrunner in terms of assets, boasting a net worth of Rs 17,58,43,077 (17 Crore+). Following closely behind are AAP’s Manoj Dhanowar, with assets totaling Rs 9,32,30,440 (9 Crore+), and BJP’s Ranjit Dutta, with assets valued at Rs 8,97,92,194 (8 Crore+).

In this ranking, Congress’s Gaurav Gogoi secures the fifth position, possessing net assets worth Rs 4,90,61,120 (4 Crore+), trailed by BJP’s Sarbananda Sonowal with Rs 4,75,85,258 (4 Crore+), and BJP’s Topon Kumar Gogoi, with assets amounting to Rs 3,22,98,139 (3 Crore+) landing in the seventh position.

Furthermore, BJP’s other candidates, Pradan Baruah, hold the ninth position, with total net assets valued at Rs 2,42,05,536 (2 Crore+), whereas Kamakhya Prasad Tasa ranks twelfth, possessing assets worth Rs 2,00,17,297 (2 Crore+).

Lurinjyoti Gogoi of the Assam Jatiya Parishad secures the twenty-first position, with net assets worth Rs 34,31,472 (34 Lacs+).