A large number of newly elected legislators in West Bengal have declared criminal cases against themselves, according to a study released by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) on Tuesday.
The report found that around 58% of MLAs have serious criminal cases pending against them, raising concerns about the quality of political representation in the state.
According to the ADR analysis, “170 legislators have declared serious criminal cases, up from 113 in 2021.”
Overall, the study found that 190 out of 292 analysed MLAs, or about 65%, have criminal cases registered against them.
What Counts as “Serious Criminal Cases”
The ADR defines serious criminal cases as offences that carry a maximum punishment of five years or more, non-bailable offences, or cases involving public funds.
These include charges such as murder, attempted murder, assault, kidnapping, rape, crimes against women, and corruption-related offences.
The report noted, “This category includes offences under the Representation of the People Act and the Prevention of Corruption Act.”
Murder, Attempted Murder, and Women-Related Cases Reported
The study highlights the severity of charges faced by several legislators. It found that 14 MLAs have declared cases related to murder, while 54 face attempted murder charges.
It also said that 63 MLAs have declared cases related to crimes against women, including two candidates facing rape charges.
Party-Wise Breakdown of Criminal Cases
The report shows differences across political parties in terms of criminal cases among elected representatives.
It found that 141 out of 206 BJP MLAs analysed, or about 68%, have serious criminal cases. Among the Trinamool Congress (TMC), 25 out of 80 MLAs, or 31%, face such charges.
ADR also noted that all winning candidates from some smaller parties, including the Communist Party of India (Marxist), All India Secular Front, and Aam Janata Unnayan Party, have declared serious criminal cases. In contrast, both Congress winners have clean records.
Rising Wealth Among MLAs
Along with criminal cases, the report also highlighted a rise in declared wealth among legislators.
It said that 178 out of 292 MLAs, or 61%, have assets worth more than ₹1 crore. This is higher than 54% in the 2021 Assembly.
The total declared assets of all MLAs stand at ₹1,091 crore, with the average asset value per legislator increasing to ₹3.7 crore from ₹2.5 crore earlier.
Among parties, TMC MLAs declared an average of ₹5.3 crore in assets, while BJP MLAs reported an average of ₹2.9 crore. The two Congress MLAs had the highest average assets at ₹17.9 crore.
The report also noted that BJP leader Dilip Saha declared the highest individual assets at over ₹43 crore.
Assets of Re-Elected MLAs Also Increased
ADR’s study of 102 re-elected MLAs showed a sharp rise in wealth since the last election.
It stated, “Their average assets increased by 60%, rising from ₹2.3 crore in 2021 to ₹3.8 crore.”
Gender Representation Remains Low
The report also pointed out continued underrepresentation of women in the Assembly.
Only 37 women MLAs were elected among the 292 analysed, accounting for just 13% of the total. This is slightly lower than 14% in the previous Assembly.
Education Levels of MLAs
On education, the study found that 63% of MLAs have graduate-level or higher qualifications, while 32% studied between Class 5 and Class 12.
It also noted that one MLA declared being illiterate.
