ADR Report on Criminalization of Politics:
The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) released its 2025 analysis of 4,092 MLAs from 28 states and 3 Union Territories, revealing alarming levels of criminalization in Indian politics.
Highlights:
- India Data:45% (1,861 MLAs) have declared criminal cases, indicating widespread criminalization in Indian politics.
29% (1,205 MLAs) face serious criminal charges, including murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, and crimes against women, reflecting the gravity of the issue.
State-wise Rankings (Highest Criminal MLAs):
- Andhra Pradesh leads with 79% MLAs having criminal cases, followed by Kerala and Telangana at 69% each.
Bihar (66%), Maharashtra (65%), and Tamil Nadu (59%) also show high percentages, highlighting regional disparities. - Andhra Pradesh (56%), Telangana (50%), and Bihar (49%) top the list, indicating a concentration of serious offenses in these states.
- According to the ADR 2025 report, regional parties show a higher percentage of MLAs with criminal cases compared to national parties.
- 23% of women MLAs (out of 282 analyzed) have declared criminal cases, showing that criminalization is not limited to male politicians.
- 54 MLAs face murder charges, 226 face attempted murder charges, and 127 face crimes against women, including 13 charged with rape.
- Education Ranking of MLAs (State-wise): Delhi (100%), Kerala (99%), and Maharashtra (98%) have the most highly educated MLAs, while Jharkhand (68%), Odisha (71%), and UP (78%) lag behind.
- Billionaire MLA Ranking (State-wise): Andhra Pradesh (36%), Telangana (28%), and Karnataka (28%) have the highest percentage of billionaire MLAs, linking wealth to political candidacy.
