In spite of directions from the Supreme Court, political parties across poll-bound States continue to field candidates with criminal records. An analysis of the latest affidavits submitted with nomination papers in Kerala, Assam and Puducherry shows that between 14% and 38% of candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves.
According to data released by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Kerala Election Watch, based on candidates’ self-sworn affidavits, political parties in the Kerala Assembly Elections 2026 have once again followed their old practice of giving tickets to individuals with criminal records. This time, around 38% of candidates have pending criminal cases.
All major parties contesting the Kerala Assembly elections have fielded between 42% and 100% candidates who have declared criminal cases against themselves.
While in Assam and Puducherry, the proportion of candidates with criminal cases stands at about 14% and 23% respectively.
According to an analysis by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Assam Election Watch of candidate affidavits, the State has a total of 722 candidates, of whom as many as 102 have declared criminal cases. Candidates with serious criminal cases number about 79 (11%).
In Puducherry, out of a total of 294 candidates, 66 (23%) have declared criminal cases, while at least 38 candidates (13%) face serious criminal charges.
As far as Assam is concerned, the ADR analysis notes a slight improvement compared to previous elections, though criminalisation in politics remains significant.
“Serious cases” against candidates in the State include offences such as attempt to murder and crimes against women, among others, the ADR said.
In Puducherry, 6 out of 12 (50%) DMK candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves.
Even though the ADR analysis of candidates’ criminal backgrounds in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal for the 2026 Assembly elections is not yet available, historical data suggest consistent patterns in both States. West Bengal has typically recorded moderate-to-high levels of criminalisation, with around 15–25% of candidates facing criminal cases, while Tamil Nadu has generally reported about 10–15%. Similar trends are expected to continue in the 2026 Assembly elections as well.
In its directions dated February 13, 2020, the Supreme Court had specifically instructed political parties to explain why candidates with criminal antecedents were selected and why individuals without such records could not be chosen. As per these mandatory guidelines, the reasons must relate to the candidate’s qualifications, achievements and merit.
During the two State Assembly elections held in 2025, it was observed that political parties cited reasons such as popularity, social work, or claims that cases were politically motivated—grounds that ADR considers neither sound nor cogent.
“This data clearly shows that political parties have no interest in reforming the electoral system, and our democracy will continue to suffer at the hands of lawbreakers who become lawmakers,” the Association added.
