Thirty-two percent of the contesting in the second phase of the Assembly elections in Bihar have declared criminal cases against themselves, a study by the Association for Democratic Reforms and the National Election Watch has shown.

Of those who had declared criminal cases, 26%, or 341, of them have serious criminal cases such as murder and crimes against women, the election watchdogs said on Tuesday.

The election watchdogs classify serious criminal cases as those having a maximum punishment of five years or more. It also includes offences that are non-bailable, an electoral offence, related to loss to the exchequer, assault, murder, kidnap, rape and crimes against women.

The Assembly polls will take place in two phases on November 6 and November 11. The votes will be counted on Nove

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