Srinagar: Sixty four crorepatis and nine candidates facing criminal charges are among the 138 in fray in 16 constituencies of Jammu and Kashmir which will go to polls in the third phase on December 9.
The sixteen constituencies are spread over three districts of Baramulla, Budgam and Pulwama - all in Kashmir Valley.
The affidavits submitted by the candidates along with their nomination papers suggested that 64 are crorepatis and nine face criminal charges including attempt to murder and assault on a woman.
Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has the highest number of crorepatis - 14 out of the 16, while the ruling National Conference (NC) has 14. The Congress has nine out of its 15 candidates, while BJP has two out of its eight candidates in the fray. Among the 54 Independents, 22 (41 per cent) have declared assets worth more than Rs 1 crore.
There are more rich candidates in the third phase (46 per cent) in comparison to the first two phases.
In the first phase, there were 46 out of 123 (37 per cent), while in the second phase out of the 175 candidates, 55 (31 per cent) were crorepatis.
The average assets per candidate contesting in the third phase of the elections is Rs 2.59 crore as against Rs 1.38 crore in the first phase and Rs 1.41 crore in the second phase.
Among the major parties, the average assets per candidate for 16 PDP candidates is Rs 5.27 crore, while 16 NC candidates have average assets worth Rs 4.33 crore.
15 Congress candidates have average assets worth Rs 3.48 crore, while eight BJP candidates have average assets of Rs 53.82 lakh. Ten candidates have declared assets worth more than Rs 10 crore.
Shabir Ahmed Mir, an Independent fighting from Gulmarg assembly segment, has the maximum assets worth Rs 43 crore, followed by Uri's sitting legislator and Minister for Health, Taj Mohi-Ud-Din with assets worth over Rs 19 crore and NC's Mohammad Yaqoob Wani from Sangrama with Rs 16 crore.
Two candidates, both Independents, - Bashir Ahmad Khan from Khansahib and Ghulam Mohammad Yatoo from Pampore assembly segment - have declared zero assets.
Five candidates have declared liabilities of Rs 1 crore and above with Congress candidate from Sangrama seat Shuib Nabi Lone, who has assets worth over Rs 2 crore, topping the list with liabilities worth more than Rs 5 crore.
As many as 109 (79 per cent) candidates out of 138 have not declared income tax details. Out of these 109, 41 have assets worth more than Rs 1 crore.
About 68 (49 per cent) candidates have not declared their PAN details, out of which 24 candidates have total assets worth more than Rs 1 crore.
On the educational front, two candidates are illiterate, three are class five pass, 18 are class eight pass and 23 have passed class 10.
While 24 candidates have passed class 12, 24 are simple graduates and 22 professional graduates. There are 20 post-graduates and a candidate with doctorate in the fray.
62 (45 per cent) candidates have declared their age to be between 25 to 50 years while 65 (47 per cent) are in the age group of 51 to 70 years.
Seven candidates are above the age of 71 years. There are no female candidates in the fray for the third phase.
While three women candidates fought the elections in the first phase, eight contested in the second phase.
Out of the nine candidates with criminal charges, six are facing serious charges of robbery, attempt to murder and assault on a woman.
Basharat Hussain Najar of Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Party Nationalist from Pattan constituency of north Kashmir's Baramula district, has declared a case of attempt to murder against him.
Zahid Hussain of Congress from Chrar-I-Sharief constituency, of Budgam district, has declared a case of robbery, while Sheikh Abdul Rashid, an Independent candidate from Tral, in south Kashmir, has one charge related to assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty under Section-354 Ranbir Penal Code.
Other candidates have charges of cheating, forgery, rioting, criminal trespass and assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharging his duty among others against them.
Campaigning for the constituencies of Uri, Rafiabad, Sopore, Sangrama, Baramulla, Gulmarg and Pattan in Baramulla district, Chadoora, Budgam, Beerwah, Khansahib and Chrar-i-Sharief in Budgam district and Tral, Pampore, Pulwama, and Rajpora in Pulwama district will end on December 7.
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