A recent report by a poll rights body reveals that 151 sitting MPs and MLAs have disclosed criminal cases related to crimes against women in their election affidavits. West Bengal has the highest number of lawmakers facing such charges.

Association for Democratic Reforms analyzed 4,693 of the 4,809 affidavits submitted by sitting MPs and MLAs to the Election Commission of India for elections held between 2019 and 2024. The report identified 16 MPs and 135 MLAs with pending cases related to crimes against women.

West Bengal leads with 25 sitting MPs and MLAs facing charges related to crimes against women, according to the report. It is followed by Andhra Pradesh with 21 and Odisha with 17. This revelation comes amid nationwide protests over the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor in a state-run hospital in Kolkata and the sexual assault of two children in Thane.

The report highlights that 16 sitting MPs and MLAs have declared cases related to rape under IPC section 376, which mandates a minimum sentence of 10 years and can extend to life imprisonment. Among these, two are MPs and 14 are MLAs.

The charges also include repeated offenses against the same victim, highlighting the severity of these cases. According to the report, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has the highest number of representatives with declared cases related to crimes against women, totaling 54 MPs and MLAs. This is followed by the Congress with 23 and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) with 17.

Both BJP and Congress have five sitting lawmakers each facing rape charges. The ADR has issued strong recommendations in response to these findings. It stressed on the need for political parties to refrain from giving tickets to candidates with criminal backgrounds, especially those with charges of rape and other crimes against women.