"A study of the affidavits of 2,336 of the 4,119 candidates for the Maharashtra Assembly elections has revealed that as many as 798 of them are facing criminal cases with Shiv Sena topping the list of such nominees, followed by erstwhile ally BJP. The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), which studied the affidavits, found that 169 (61 per cent) of the 278 Sena candidates analysed have criminal cases registered against them whereas BJP has 138 (53 pc) such contenders out of its 258 nominees who were examined, said the NGO's head Major General (retd) Anil Verma..."