Criminality and Crorepatis: Unmasking Kerala's Electoral Scene

The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has revealed that 38% of candidates in the Kerala Assembly elections have criminal cases, while 39% are crorepatis. The report scrutinized 863 candidates, uncovering that 324 face criminal charges, with 201 declaring serious offenses.

Comparatively, 355 out of 928 candidates had criminal cases in 2021, with serious charges leveled against 167. The Congress party has 72 out of its 85 candidates declaring criminal records, while the BJP and CPI(M) have significant numbers as well. Serious criminal cases involve 60 Congress candidates, 39 from BJP, among others.

The Supreme Court directive for political parties to justify selecting candidates with criminal records appears ineffective. Financial analysis shows 339 candidates are crorepatis, an increase from previous elections, with major parties favoring wealthy candidates.