The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch (NEW) have demanded political parties and voters to keep this Bihar assembly election free of candidates having criminal backgrounds. Candidates with pending criminal cases against them should not be given tickets by political parties.

In 2005 Assembly election, 358 candidates with pending criminal cases contested elections from major parties including LJP,RJD, JD(U), BJP, SP, INC, CPI(M)(L)(L) and CPI. As many as 117 current MLAs, (i.e. 50%) have pending criminal cases against them according to declarations during last elections