One in every five candidates for the first-phase of West Bengal Assembly Elections, making 294 out of 1,475 poll aspirants, have self-declared serious criminal cases in their affidavits, a report by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and West Bengal Election watch revealed. As many as 23% candidates (345) in the poll fray have self-sworn to be charged under criminal cases.

A “serious criminal case” is defined as one involving offences with a maximum punishment of five years or more, non-bailable offences, electoral offences, or charges related to assault, murder, kidnapping, rape, and crimes against women and children.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) tops the list, with 63% of its fielded candidates booked under serious criminal charges — nearly twice the share of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) at 32%. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI (M)] follows at 37% candidates being booked under grave criminal charges, while the Congress — which has no sitting legislators in the West Bengal Assembly — has 33% of its candidates facing serious criminal cases.

Criminal candidates

Speaking to The Hindu, State Coordinator for West Bengal Election Watch,Ujjaini Halim said, “It is imperative to note that these candidates have been booked for alleged criminal offences. None of them have been convicted so far. The process of conviction certainly involves time”.

She added that candidates often attribute criminal charges to political vendetta by rival parties. “However, one can only say that unless it is proven right,” she said.

The report found 98 candidates have declared cases related to crimes against women, including six candidates charged under IPC Section 376, pertaining to rape and sexual assault.

Further, the report found 105 candidates complicit of serious charges of attempt to murder under IPC Section 307 and BNS Section 109.

Among independent candidates, 42 of 466 independent (9%) have been booked under serious criminal offences.

Red-alert constituencies

The Election Watchdog’s report flags 66 of 152 constituencies in the first-phase of West Bengal Elections- as red alert constituencies, where three or more candidates have declared criminal cases.

Nandigram seat in Purba Medinipur district ranks highest with six candidates charged with serious criminal offences, followed by Suti, Khejuri, and Bharatpur with five each.

Leader of Opposition, BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari, contesting from Nandigram seat, has declared 29 cases against him, including one attempt to murder charge (IPC Section 307), two charges related to sexual harassment (IPC Section-354A), and eight charges for criminal intimidation, among others. His rival Pabitra Kar of TMC, has seven cases, including criminal intimidation (IPC Section-506), while All India Secular Front (AISF) candidate Ali Md Sabe Miraj Khan has two cases, including assault with intent to outrage a woman’s modesty (IPC Section-354).

Deep Pockets

TMC lead the electoral fray in fielding wealthy candidates, with 106 crorepatis in the fray, followed by BJP at 71 and Congress at 50. TMC’s candidate assets stands at ₹5.7 crore, against BJP’s ₹2.57 crore and Congress’s 2.06 crore. Sliding much below, CPI (M) candidates average ₹92 lakh in declared assets.

Meanwhile, the average assets of candidates in the electoral fray across the first-phase of West Bengal elections stood at ₹1.34 crore. TMC’s Jakir Hossain from Jangipur seat remained the wealthiest candidate with a record ₹133 crore, followed by Gautam Mishra from Barjora (₹105 crore) and Kabi Dutta from Durgapur Paschim (₹72 crore).

Of all candidates, 35 declared assets above ₹10 crore, 46 between ₹5–10 crore, and 228 between ₹1–5 crore. The largest cohort — 718 candidates — declared assets below ₹20 lakh.

Limited women in fray

An abysmal 11% women (167 candidates) are in the electoral fray for the first-phase of West Bengal elections.

Ms. Halim called the numbers “an unfortunate picture of the electoral landscape in West Bengal, which has witnessed alarming incidents concerning women’s safety in the recent past.” She warned that with only 11% women in the fray, the share of women winners could fall to single digits. “This highlights a double standard of political parties,” she said.