Around 17 per cent of newly elected MLAs in Assam have declared criminal cases against themselves, while a striking 85 per cent are crorepatis, according to a report released by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).

The report, which analysed affidavits of all 126 winning candidates in the 2026 Assam Assembly elections, shows a decline in the proportion of candidates with criminal cases compared to the previous election. In 2021, 27 per cent, or 34 of the winning candidates had declared criminal cases against them, which has now dropped to 17 per cent, or 21 candidates.

This includes 19, or 15 per cent, candidates facing serious charges. This is also a decrease from 2021, when 28, or 22 per cent of MLAs had declared serious criminal cases.