The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) released a report on Thursday highlighting that nearly half of India’s ministers across states and the Union government declared criminal cases against them. The report studied 643 ministers from 27 state assemblies, three Union Territories, and the Union Council of Ministers.
Out of them, 302 ministers, or 47%, declared criminal cases in their election affidavits. Among these, 174 ministers face serious charges, including murder, kidnapping, and crimes against women, raising strong concerns over the criminalization of politics in India.
Centre Tables Bills in Parliament
The ADR report came days after the Centre introduced bills in Parliament seeking removal of a sitting minister, chief minister, or Prime Minister accused of a serious crime and incarcerated for 30 days.
These bills were tabled in the Lok Sabha on August 20 amid heavy Opposition protests and sloganeering. The proposed legislation has now been sent to a joint parliamentary committee (JPC), which is yet to be formed. The bills are expected to spark debates over accountability and the political future of ministers facing criminal allegations.
Party-Wise Data Released in Report
The report also presented a detailed party-wise breakdown of ministers facing cases. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has 336 ministers, of whom 136 (40%) declared criminal cases and 88 (26%) face serious charges.
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP), a key NDA ally, has 23 ministers, of whom 22 have criminal cases, with 13 (57%) facing serious charges. The Congress has 61 ministers, of whom 45 (74%) face criminal cases, with 18 (30%) facing serious ones. The ADR highlighted that statuses of these cases may have changed since affidavits were filed between 2020 and 2025.
Opposition Parties’ Data Highlights Trends
Among the Opposition parties, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has 16 ministers, of whom 11 (69%) face criminal cases, with five (31%) facing serious ones. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has 40 ministers, out of which 13 (33%) have criminal cases and eight (20%) face serious charges.
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) recorded the highest percentage among INDIA bloc parties, with 27 of its 31 ministers (87%) facing criminal cases, and 14 (45%) facing serious charges. These statistics underline the prevalence of criminal allegations across different political groups in India.
Ministers’ Assets Declared Across India
Alongside criminal cases, the ADR also examined financial disclosures. Ministers across India declared combined assets worth Rs 23,929 crore, with an average of Rs 37.21 crore per minister. Karnataka has eight ministers with declared assets exceeding Rs 100 crore each, followed by Andhra Pradesh with six and Maharashtra with four.
The Union Council of Ministers has six billionaires out of 72 members, making financial disparity another area of focus. The data emphasizes the growing wealth among ministers in India’s political landscape.
The report highlighted ministers with the highest declared assets. TDP MP Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani declared assets worth over Rs 5,705 crore, the highest among ministers. Karnataka Congress leader DK Shivakumar declared Rs 1,413 crore, while Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu declared Rs 931 crore.
At the other end, Tripura minister Sukla Charan Noatia declared assets worth Rs 2 lakh, and West Bengal minister Birbaha Hansda declared just over Rs 3 lakh. The sharp contrast in asset declarations reflects the wide economic disparity within political leadership.
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Swastika Sruti is a Senior Sub Editor at NewsX Digital with 5 years of experience shaping stories that matter. She loves tracking politics- national and global trends, and never misses a chance to dig deeper into policies and developments. Passionate about what’s happening around us, she brings sharp insight and clarity to every piece she works on. When not curating news, she’s busy exploring what’s next in the world of public interest. You can reach her at [swastika.newsx@gmail.com]
