Within weeks of the Supreme Court’s attempt to keep criminals out of elections, a study has revealed that that those candidates who have had a criminal record are more likely to win the elections than candidates who have a clean record.

The research, conducted by groups Association for Democratic Rights (ADR) and National Election Watch (NEW) was conducted on the basis of affidavits filed by the candidates during the parliamentary and assembly elections during 2004 and 2011. 

Out of the 62,847 candidates who have contested the parliamentary or state assembly elections since 2004, 11,063 candidates have a declared criminal case against them. This is a total of 18% of the total candidates who have contested the polls in the past decade.

After ADR analysed the records of 4,181 repeat candidates, it was revealed that 1,072 candidates already held a criminal record the first time they contested. Out of this, 788 continued to hold a criminal record, the second time they contested. Various political parties provided tickets to 74 percent of these candidates, despite being aware of their criminal backgrounds. 

Within the current group of MPs sitting in the Lok Sabha, 162 out of the total 543 candidates (30 percent) have a criminal case against them. Out of this, 14 percent have serious charges against them. In the Rajya Sabha, out of the 232 candidates, 40 (17 percent) have criminal cases against them, 7 percent serious. Amongst the current sitting MLAs, 1,258 (31 percent) out of the total 4,032 have a criminal record.

Looking at the numbers through the decade, out of the total 8,790 MPs and MLAs analysised since 2004, 2,575 (29 percent) have declared criminal cases against them, 14 percent involving serious crimes. Numbers reveal that the two national parties have also supported these candidates, with BJP holding 13 percent of such candidates with serious charges, and Indian National Congress (INC) 8 percent.

However, it was Shiv Sena which had the most legislators with criminal cases against them, a staggering 75 percent. This was followed by Rashtriya Janata Dal with 46 percent, Janata Dal (United) 44 percent, BJP with 31 percent and Congress with the least at 22 percent.

The report by ADR has found a direct connection between the criminal charges and the increase in wealth among the candidates. It was found that amongst most of the MPs and MLAs who face or have faced serious charges like murder, kidnap and rape, on an average have assets worth Rs 4.38 crore. Commenting on this finding, ADR’s Professor Trilochan Sastry said, “Criminalisation is a fact which can’t be denied. Money plays a big role in elections and criminalisation makes it worse.”

The report mentions that the average worth of assets of all the 4,181 candidates, holding criminal records grew to Rs 408 crore from a mere Rs 174 crore. Talking about the action taken by the group, Dr Jagdeep S. Chhokar, founding member, ADR, said, “When we filed an RTI with the income tax department asking about the actions taken by them against those people whose wealth have shown an abnormal increase, their reply simply was that we have done the needful as per the laid down procedures.”

As the time for assembly elections in the capital and other regions draw to a close, the group is trying to make the public aware about the representatives that they are choosing. Reforms might take time, but maybe these findings are just a step in the right direction.