375 candidates in civic polls are illiterate

NEW DELHI: At least 375 candidates, nearly 15 percent of the total number contesting the MCD polls in the capital, are illiterate. And another 1,300 have not even completed Class 12.

These are the findings of the Delhi Election Commission, which has studied 2,255 of the 2,575 contesting for the polls. “We found that 1,714 candidates have not gone beyond school education.

And there are 375 illiterates,” a senior official at the commission said. Of the 1,714 candidates who had received school education, 103 have studied up to primary level and 403 between Class 5 and 8. 439 candidates have studied up to Class 10 while another 394 have studied up to Class 12.

Of the 375 illiterate candidates, independents and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidates account for the lion’s share.

Over 50 candidates of the BSP and 200 independents never taken any formal education.

The Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have 25 and 21 illiterate candidates respectively in their list. The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) has 19, Lok Jan Shakti 8 and Janata Dal-United 5 such candidates.

When asked about the large number of uneducated candidates, both the election commissioner and political parties said they were concerned.

“Unless political parties show some responsibility, the situation will not improve,” Delhi Election Commissioner SP Marwah said. Vijay Jolly, a legislator of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from Saket, said that political parties have been debating the issue but added that nothing concrete may happen in the near future. There are many qualified people in the fray as well.

While 375 candidates are graduates, another 108 are postgraduates. Seven doctors, three engineers and six professional diploma holders are also fighting it out.

The Congress has fielded 272 candidates for the 272 wards and the BJP has pitted 271. The BSP, INLD and Nationalist Congress Party have 224, 149 and 135 candidates respectively.