Assam’s newly elected Assembly is wealthier, more educated and has fewer legislators with criminal cases than the previous House, according to a report released by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Assam Election Watch.

An analysis of affidavits filed by all 126 winning candidates in the 2026 Assam Assembly elections shows a legislature dominated by crorepatis and middle-aged male politicians, while women continue to remain severely underrepresented.

The report, based on self-sworn affidavits submitted to the Election Commission, highlighted the BJP’s dominance in the new Assembly with 82 seats. The Congress secured 19 seats, while the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) won 10 seats each. AIUDF and Raijor Dal bagged two seats each, and the Trinamool Congress won one seat.

One of the most significant findings was the sharp rise in wealthy legislators.

According to the report, 107 of the 126 MLAs — around 85 per cent — are crorepatis, compared to 67 per cent in the 2021 Assembly. The average assets of winning candidates nearly doubled over five years, increasing from Rs 4.59 crore in 2021 to Rs 8.82 crore in 2026.

The total declared assets of all MLAs in the new Assembly stand at Rs 1,112 crore.

AIUDF MLA Mohammed Badruddin Ajmal emerged as the richest legislator with declared assets worth over Rs 226 crore. He was followed by BPF MLA Sewli Mohilary with assets of Rs 63 crore and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma with assets worth Rs 35 crore.

At the other end of the spectrum, BJP MLA Milon Das declared assets of just over Rs 20,000, making him the least wealthy member of the House.

The report also pointed to a decline in legislators with criminal backgrounds compared to the previous Assembly.

Out of the 126 MLAs, 21 legislators — or 17 per cent — declared criminal cases against themselves, down from 27 per cent in 2021. Of them, 19 face serious criminal charges.

The Congress recorded the highest proportion of MLAs with criminal cases, with 47 per cent of its legislators facing such charges, while all BPF MLAs were found to have clean records.

On the education front, the Assembly appears significantly qualified on paper. The ADR analysis found that 89 MLAs, or 71 per cent, possess graduate or higher qualifications, including six doctorate holders. Thirty-six MLAs have educational qualifications between Class 10 and Class 12, while one legislator is a diploma holder.

Age-wise, the Assembly continues to be dominated by experienced politicians. Around 71 per cent of MLAs are between 41 and 60 years old, while only 11 legislators are below the age of 40.

Despite repeated calls for greater representation, women continue to occupy only a marginal space in Assam politics.

The new Assembly has just seven women MLAs — only one more than in the previous House — accounting for merely six per cent of the total strength.

The report further noted that the average assets of re-elected MLAs rose by 88 per cent in the last five years, increasing from Rs 4.25 crore in 2021 to Rs 8.02 crore in 2026.