The chances of winning for candidates with declared criminal cases in the Lok Sabha 2024 were 15.3%, compared to 4.4% for candidates with a clean background.
The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch have analyzed the self-sworn affidavits of all 543 winning candidates in the Lok Sabha 2024 elections, revealing notable trends among the elected MPs.
According to the report, 46% of the candidates have criminal cases against them, and a striking 93% are crorepatis. The chance of winning for a crorepati candidate in the Lok Sabha 2024 was 19.6%, whereas it was only 0.7% for a candidate with assets less than Rs. 1 crore.
Winning candidates from 18 states, including Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Sikkim, and Tripura, are crorepatis, the report states.
There has been a significant increase in the number of MPs with declared criminal cases since 2009. Out of the 543 winning candidates analyzed in Lok Sabha 2024, 251 (46%) have declared criminal cases. Comparatively, 233 (43%) MPs had declared criminal cases in 2019, 185 (34%) in 2014, and 162 (30%) in 2009.
Among the 2024 winning candidates, 170 (31%) have serious criminal cases, including charges of rape, murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, and crimes against women. This represents a 124% increase since 2009, where only 76 (14%) MPs had serious criminal cases.
Specific criminal charges among the winning candidates include:
- 15 with cases related to crimes against women, including 2 with charges of rape (IPC Section-376).
- 4 with cases related to kidnapping.
- 43 with cases related to hate speech.
The chances of winning for candidates with declared criminal cases in the Lok Sabha 2024 were 15.3%, compared to 4.4% for candidates with a clean background.
Party-wise Breakdown of Lok Sabha MPs with Criminal Cases:
- BJP: 94 (39%) out of 240 winning candidates
- INC: 49 (49%) out of 99 winning candidates
- SP: 21 (57%) out of 37 winning candidates
- AITC: 13 (45%) out of 29 winning candidates
- DMK: 13 (59%) out of 22 winning candidates
- TDP: 8 (50%) out of 16 winning candidates
- Shiv Sena: 5 (71%) out of 7 winning candidates
Crorepatis: Out of the 543 winning candidates analyzed, 504 (93%) are crorepatis. This marks an increase from 88% in 2019, 82% in 2014, and 58% in 2009.
Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani of TDP leads the list of crorepatis with assets of Rs 5705 crore, followed by Konda Vishweshwar Reddy of BJP with assets of Rs 4568 crore, and Navin Jindal of BJP with assets of Rs 1241 crore.
Party-wise breakdown of crorepati Lok Sabha MPs:
- BJP: 227 (95%) out of 240 winning candidates
- INC: 92 (93%) out of 99 winning candidates
- DMK: 21 (95%) out of 22 winning candidates
- AITC: 27 (93%) out of 29 winning candidates
- SP: 34 (92%) out of 37 winning candidates
- AAP: 3 (100%) out of 3 winning candidates
- JD(U): 12 (100%) out of 12 winning candidates
- TDP: 16 (100%) out of 16 winning candidate