46 per cent of newly elected MPs face criminal cases: ADR

New Delhi: As many as 251 (46 per cent) of the 543 newly elected Lok Sabha members have criminal cases registered against them and 27 of them have been convicted, according to an analysis by poll rights body Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR).

This is the highest number of candidates facing criminal charges to be elected to the Lower House.

A total of 233 MPs (43 per cent) had declared criminal cases against themselves, 185 (34 per cent) in 2014, 162 (30 per cent) in 2009 and 125 (23 per cent) in 2004.

According to the analysis, there has been a 55 per cent increase in the number of MPs with declared criminal cases since 2009.

Of the 251 winning candidates this year, 170 (31 per cent) face serious criminal cases, including rape, murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, and crimes against women.

This is also an increase from 159 (29 per cent) MPs in 2019, 112 (21 per cent) MPs in 2014, and 76 (14 per cent) MPs in 2009, the analysis showed.

There has been a 124 per cent increase in the number of MPs with declared serious criminal cases since 2009, it said.

The analysis also highlights specific cases among the winning candidates.

While 27 winning candidates have declared they have been convicted in criminal cases, four declared cases related to murder under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and 27 declared cases related to attempt to murder under Section 307 of the IPC.

Fifteen winning candidates have declared cases related to crimes against women, including two facing charges of rape under IPC Section 376.

Additionally, four winning candidates have declared cases related to kidnapping and 43 have declared cases related to hate speech.

The chances of winning for a candidate with declared criminal cases in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections stood at 15.3 per cent, compared to just 4.4 per cent for candidates with a clean background, the analysis found.

Of the 240 winning candidates of the BJP, which emerged as the largest party in the 18th Lok Sabha, 94 (39 per cent) have declared criminal cases, according to the ADR.

Forty-nine (49 per cent) of the Congress’ 99 winning candidates have declared criminal cases and 21 (45 per cent) of the Samajwadi Party’s 37 candidates face criminal charges.

Thirteen (45 per cent) of the TMC’s 29, 13 (59 per cent) of the DMK’s 22, eight (50 per cent) of the TDP’s 16, and five (71 per cent) of the Shiv Sena’s seven winning candidates have declared criminal cases.

Sixty-three (26 per cent) BJP candidates, 32 (32 per cent) Congress candidates and 17 (46 per cent) SP candidates have declared serious criminal cases, the analysis found.

Seven (24 per cent) TMC candidates, six (27 per cent) DMK candidates, five (31 per cent) TDP candidates, and four (57 per cent) Shiv Sena candidates face serious criminal cases, it stated.