A recent report exposes that almost half of West Bengal's MLAs are facing criminal charges, while a majority are crorepatis, raising concerns about the integrity and financial status of state legislators.
Key Points
- Nearly half (47%) of West Bengal MLAs have declared criminal cases against themselves, according to an ADR report.
- Over half (52%) of West Bengal's 291 analysed MLAs are crorepatis, with total assets amounting to ₹821.50 crore.
- A significant portion of MLAs from both the Trinamool Congress (41%) and BJP (66%) have declared criminal cases.
- 22 West Bengal MLAs have declared cases related to crimes against women, including one case related to rape.
- The average assets per West Bengal MLA stand at ₹2.82 crore, highlighting the financial wealth of state legislators.
Nearly half of the West Bengal MLAs have declared criminal cases against themselves, while over half are crorepatis, a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and West Bengal Election Watch released on Monday said.
The report analysed the criminal, financial and other background details of 291 out of the 294 sitting MLAs in the state, with three seats currently vacant.
It found that 136 MLAs (47 per cent) have declared criminal cases, while 109 legislators (37 per cent) face serious criminal charges.
According to the report, eight MLAs have declared cases related to murder, while 29 legislators face cases of attempt to murder.
Additionally, 22 MLAs have declared cases related to crimes against women, including one case related to rape.
Party-Wise Analysis of Criminal Cases
The party-wise analysis showed that 92 out of 223 MLAs (41 per cent) from the Trinamool Congress, and 42 out of 64 MLAs (66 per cent) from the BJP, have declared criminal cases in their affidavits.
Financial Background of West Bengal MLAs
The report also highlighted the financial background of the legislators, noting that 152 out of the 291 MLAs analysed (52 per cent) are crorepatis.
The total assets of the sitting MLAs amount to Rs 821.50 crore, with the average assets per MLA standing at Rs 2.82 crore, it said.
Among the legislators, Jakir Hossain, the MLA from Jangipur, tops the list with declared assets worth over Rs 67 crore, followed by Ahmed Javed Khan of Kasba with assets of over Rs 32 crore, and Vivek Gupta of Jorasanko with assets exceeding Rs 31 crore.
The analysis further showed that 45 MLAs, or about 15 per cent of the House, are women, while 246 legislators are men.
Educational Qualifications
In terms of education, 182 MLAs (63 per cent) have declared themselves as graduates or above, while 104 legislators (36 per cent) have educational qualifications between class 8 and 12.
The report is based on affidavits submitted by candidates during the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections and subsequent bypolls, the ADR said.
© 2026