Criminalisation of Politics: A serious issue

Criminalization of Politics refers to the situation where individuals with criminal charges or backgrounds become politicians and are elected to office. This trend undermines the fundamental principles of democracy, such as fair elections, adherence to the rule of law, and accountability. The increasing prevalence of this issue poses a significant threat to the integrity of our democratic processes.

Data and Facts

• The report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and New Election Watch (NEW) analysed 4,693 out of 4809 election affidavits of sitting MPs and MLAs. This includes an analysis of 755 out of 776 affidavits of sitting MPs and 3938 of 4033 sitting MLAs from all 28 states and 8 union territories in the last five years.
• The report states that of the 151 sitting MPs and MLAs with declared cases related to crimes against women, 16 are sitting MPs and 135 are sitting MLAs.
• Among states, West Bengal ranks the highest with 25 MPs and MLAs with declared cases of crimes against women, followed by Andhra Pradesh (21), Odisha (17).
• Of the total 151 MPs and MLAs who have declared cases of crimes against women, 16 sitting lawmakers have declared cases related to rape. Of these 16, two are sitting MPs and the remaining 14 are MLAs.
• A separate report, by ADR and NEW also that analysed the criminal background, financial, education, gender and other details of the winning candidates of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections found that, there has been an increase of 124% in the number of MPs with declared serious criminal cases since 2009.
• The report also states that 31% (170) of the winning candidates in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections have declared serious criminal cases related to rape, murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, crimes against women, etc. In 2019, of the 539 winning candidates analysed, 29% (159) had declared serious criminal cases.
• In 2014, of the 542 MPs analysed 112 or 21% MPs had serious criminal cases. In 2009 of the 543 MPs analysed, 76 i.e. 14% MPs had declared serious criminal cases against themselves.
• The report also notes that while the chances of winning for a candidate with declared criminal cases is 15.3%, while that of a candidate with a clean background is 4.4%.
• In the 2019 Lok Sabha, 233 (43%) of 543 Lok Sabha members faced criminal charges.
• In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, 112 MPs (21%) faced serious criminal cases against them, including those of rape, murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, crimes against women.

Causes of Increasing Criminalisation of Politics

• Political-Criminal Nexus: Many politicians in India have forged close relationships with criminal elements, leveraging their financial resources and muscle power to secure electoral victories.
• The Indian criminal justice system is often plagued by inefficiency, delays, and corruption, making it challenging to effectively prosecute and convict politicians with criminal backgrounds.
• Additionally, the weak internal democratic structures of many Indian political parties allow leaders to handpick candidates—often prioritizing those with a higher chance of winning elections, regardless of their integrity.
• This lack of internal party democracy weakens citizens’ ability to hold their representatives accountable. In some rural and impoverished areas, voters may prioritize immediate tangible benefits offered by candidates with criminal backing over the long-term principles of good governance and rule of law.

Ethical Issues Associated with Criminalisation of Politics

• Accountability and Ethical Standards in Politics: The failure to address misconduct within the political class highlights a significant lack of accountability and ethical standards. Instances of Members of Parliament facing serious criminal charges, particularly those involving offenses against women, reveal a troubling pattern of defending such individuals across party lines, indicating a disconnect from ethical norms.
• Despite being aware of misconduct, political parties often remain inactive until public outcry forces them to act, underscoring the need for stronger accountability mechanisms beyond mere public pressure.
• A culture of impunity pervades the political sphere, where norms and rules are inconsistently enforced, placing the burden of accountability on individual women. Despite systemic failures, brave individuals like the complainant against Revanna and the Unnao rape survivor have been crucial in holding perpetrators accountable.
• The gap between political promises and actual action undermines the potential for meaningful progress on women’s issues within the political realm.
• Equitable representation alone is not sufficient for true political empowerment of women; real empowerment requires the ability to establish and enforce ethical and moral standards.

Restoring Accountability and Ethical Standards, Restoring accountability and ethical standards in the Indian political sphere is a challenging and long-term task. However, a comprehensive approach that tackles institutional, cultural, and societal aspects can help counter the troubling trends of criminalization and partisan protection that have eroded the integrity of the democratic process.

The End of the Blog: Criminalisation of Politics: A serious issue