65% of Newly Elected West Bengal MLAs Face Criminal Charges
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According to a report by India’s nonprofit Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), 61 percent of the lawmakers elected in West Bengal’s recently concluded assembly election are millionaires, while 65 percent face criminal cases. The organization works on electoral transparency and political reform.
The report shows that most elected MLAs face criminal charges, while many also possess substantial wealth worth millions of rupees. India’s News18, a partner of U.S.-based CNN, reported the findings on Thursday.
Rising Criminal Allegations
ADR reviewed the affidavits of 292 winning candidates in the 2026 election. The analysis revealed what the organization described as an alarming trend. Criminal cases are pending against 190 of the elected lawmakers. In the 2021 assembly election, 49 percent of elected MLAs faced criminal charges. That figure has now risen to 65 percent in 2026.
Among the BJP’s 206 winning candidates, 152 face criminal cases, accounting for 74 percent. In contrast, 34 of the 80 elected lawmakers from the Trinamool Congress, or 43 percent, face criminal charges. Overall, 170 MLAs, or 58 percent, face serious allegations, compared with 39 percent in the previous election.
A total of 141 BJP lawmakers and 25 Trinamool Congress lawmakers face serious criminal allegations. Similar patterns appeared among smaller parties. Every elected MLA from the Aam Janata Unnayan Party, Communist Party of India (Marxist), and All India Secular Front faces criminal charges. However, no criminal cases were reported against the two winning Congress candidates.
Fourteen lawmakers face murder charges, while 54 face attempted murder cases. Sixty-three MLAs are accused in cases related to violence against women, and two face rape charges.
Wealth Profile of Elected Lawmakers
The ADR report also found that many elected lawmakers are extremely wealthy. In the 2021 election, 54 percent of MLAs declared assets worth more than 10 million rupees. That figure rose to 61 percent this year. Among the 292 lawmakers, 178 reported assets exceeding one crore rupees.
The combined assets of the lawmakers amount to 10.91 billion rupees, while the average asset value stands at 37.3 million rupees.
Trinamool Congress lawmakers lead in average wealth, with average assets of 53.6 million rupees per elected MLA. BJP lawmakers reported average assets of 29.7 million rupees each. The two Congress lawmakers reported the highest average assets at 179.2 million rupees.
In terms of educational qualifications, 63 percent of the lawmakers hold graduate or higher degrees, while 32 percent studied between grades five and 12. The report also noted that women make up only 13 percent of the assembly members.
ADR expressed concern over what it described as the deep connection between crime and politics. The organization also warned that politics increasingly favors only the wealthy.
