Bihar Election 2025: 32% of Candidates Have Criminal Backgrounds, Reveals ADR Report

As Bihar moves closer to its 2025 Assembly Elections, a new report from the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Bihar Election Watch exposes the deep-rooted connection between politics and crime in the state. The report shows that out of 1303 candidates contesting in the first phase across 121 constituencies, 423 have declared criminal cases in their election affidavits. This accounts for 32 percent of all candidates in the fray.

Among these, 354 candidates or 27 percent face serious criminal charges. The data reveals that 33 candidates are accused of murder under relevant legal sections, while 86 face charges related to attempted murder. Additionally, 42 candidates have declared cases linked to crimes against women, including two charged with rape

Party-wise Breakdown (Serious Criminal Cases)

Red Alert Constituencies Dominate Phase One

Of the 121 constituencies going to the polls in the first phase, 91 have been marked as red alert constituencies. This designation applies when three or more candidates in a constituency face criminal cases. With nearly 75 percent of constituencies falling under this category, the report reflects how widespread the issue of criminalization in politics remains across BiharSupreme Court Guidelines Ignored by Political Parties

The ADR has expressed disappointment over the lack of compliance with Supreme Court directions issued in February 2020. The court had instructed political parties to clearly explain why candidates with criminal charges were chosen and why individuals with clean records were overlooked. However, the current data shows that political parties continue to nominate candidates with criminal cases, ranging between 20 and 100 percent of their total candidates

ADR observed that parties often justify these selections using weak reasons such as the candidates’ popularity, social work, or claims that cases are politically motivated. The organization argues that these explanations are not valid grounds for nominating individuals with serious charges and that they undermine public trust in the democratic process

Crime and Politics Continue to Overlap in Bihar

Despite judicial efforts and public awareness campaigns, Bihar’s political landscape remains heavily influenced by candidates with criminal backgrounds. The ADR’s findings highlight an ongoing challenge for electoral integrity and call for stronger accountability from both political parties and voters.