Political Parties Evade Transparency Over Criminal Candidates in 2026 Elections, Says Study

A recent study conducted by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has revealed that major political parties in India, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), have largely failed to comply with the Supreme Court’s directive to disclose reasons for selecting candidates with criminal backgrounds in the upcoming 2026 Assembly elections. Out of 3,539 candidates assessed across five states and one Union Territory, 191 were found to have criminal cases against them, yet their parties did not provide the mandated explanations.

The Supreme Court’s regulations require political parties to submit Form C7, which should outline the rationale behind choosing candidates with pending criminal charges instead of those without such backgrounds. The ADR’s analysis indicated that while 1,405 candidates revealed their criminal histories in their election affidavits, only 1,214, or 86%, had the requisite disclosures published. This raises concerns about the transparency and accountability of political parties in India.

Tamil Nadu emerged as the state with the highest number of unreported disclosures, with parties failing to provide explanations for 72 candidates out of 473 who had declared criminal cases. Following Tamil Nadu, West Bengal recorded 55 missing disclosures among its 559 candidates, while Kerala had 27 undisclosed among 268 candidates. Assam and Puducherry also showed gaps, with 10 and 27 missing disclosures, respectively, highlighting a troubling trend across multiple states.

Specifically within the BJP, the party did not issue disclosures for eight of its 302 candidates with criminal allegations, while the Congress party failed to publish explanations for 13 of its candidates. This lack of adherence to the Supreme Court’s requirements raises significant questions about the integrity of electoral processes and the selection criteria employed by these parties.

This study not only sheds light on the non-compliance of political parties regarding electoral transparency but also reflects a broader issue of accountability within India’s political framework. As elections approach, the expectation for clarity and honesty in candidate selection becomes more crucial than ever, particularly when public trust in political institutions is at stake.

Source: scroll.in