As many as 117 out of 668 (17.5 per cent) candidates in the first phase of the Gujarat assembly election on December 11 have criminal cases pending against them, according to the affidavits filed by the candidates.

The filling was affidavits was introduced following the Supreme Court judgment of March 13, 2003, in response to a public interest litigation filed by the Association for Democratic Reforms, Ahmedabad.

Party-wise analysis shows that Congress leads with 34.57 per cent (28 out of 81) of its candidates facing criminal charges.

The Bharatiya Janata Party's 18.4 per cent candidates have criminal cases pending against them, followed by the Janata Dal-United with 33.33 per cent (6 out of 18). A total of 15 candidates (17.24 per cent) of the Bahujan Samaj Party have criminal charged pending against them. It is contesting all the 87 seats in the first phase.

The type of cases include murder and attempt to murder cases, kidnapping and other violent crimes like dacoity, assault, rioting, arson, jail break and financial fraud. Nine sitting legislators of the leading parties, the BJP and the Congress, face criminal charges.