Voting for the first phase of the Bihar Assembly Elections 2025 will take place on November 6. According to reports, 32% of candidates have declared criminal cases against them, and over 40% are millionaires. Party-wise analysis revealed that many candidates, including those from RJD, BJP, and Congress, are involved in serious charges.
Bihar Election Watch: The first phase of polling for a total of 243 seats in the Bihar Assembly Elections 2025 will be held on November 6. Vote counting will be done on November 14. Prior to the elections, reports from ADR (Association for Democratic Reforms) and Bihar Election Watch have revealed data on the criminal and financial backgrounds of candidates. According to the report, this time, 32 percent of candidates have criminal cases registered against them, and over 40 percent of candidates are millionaires.
Increase in Criminal Cases
Out of 1,314 affidavits filed by ADR and Bihar Election Watch, 1,303 were analyzed. The report found that 423 candidates (32%) have declared criminal cases against themselves. Among these, 354 candidates (27%) face serious charges such as murder, attempted murder, and crimes against women. A total of 33 candidates have murder cases, 86 candidates face charges of attempted murder, and 42 candidates were found to be involved in crimes against women. Two candidates also declared charges of rape in their affidavits.
Party-wise Statistics
In the party-wise analysis, five candidates each from CPI and CPM (100%) were found to have criminal cases registered against them. Among other major parties, criminal cases are registered against 13 out of 14 candidates from CPI (ML) (93%), 53 out of 70 from RJD (76%), 31 out of 48 from BJP (65%), 15 out of 23 from Congress (65%), 7 out of 13 from LJP (Ramvilas) (54%), and 22 out of 57 from JDU (39%). 12 out of 44 candidates from Aam Aadmi Party (27%), 18 out of 89 from BSP (20%), and 50 out of 114 from Jan Suraj Party (44%) have declared a criminal background.
Number of Millionaires
According to the report, 519 candidates in this election are millionaires. Their average assets amount to Rs 3.26 crore. This figure indicates a significant impact of financial power in the Bihar Assembly Elections. Regarding assets, most candidates have disclosed their total movable and immovable property.
Candidates' Education
In terms of educational qualifications, 519 candidates (40%) have attained education from Class 5 to Class 12. Meanwhile, 651 candidates (50%) hold a graduate degree or higher. This indicates a continuous increase in the number of educated candidates in the Bihar Assembly.
The ADR report highlights that the financial status and criminal background of candidates significantly impact electoral victory. Along with an increase in the number of millionaires, there has also been a rise in the proportion of candidates involved in serious criminal cases.
