As many as 190 of 292 newly elected West Bengal MLAs have declared criminal cases against themselves, marking a sharp rise from 49% in the 2021 Assembly, according to an Association for Democratic Reforms analysis of candidate affidavits. The report shows 170 legislators face serious criminal charges, including 14 in murder cases and 63 in crimes against women, as the 2026 Assembly reflects an increased incidence of alleged offences among winners.

The Bharatiya Janata Party accounts for 152 of 206 winning candidates declaring criminal cases, followed by 34 of 80 from the All India Trinamool Congress, with both figures exceeding party levels in the previous Assembly. All winning candidates from smaller parties including the Aam Janata Unnayan Party, Communist Party of India (Marxist), and All India Secular Front have declared criminal cases, while both Indian National Congress winners report no cases.

Wealth declarations show 178 winners, or 61%, are crorepatis, up from 54% in 2021, with total declared assets of ₹1,091 crore and an average of ₹3.73 crore per MLA. Trinamool Congress MLAs report the highest average assets at ₹5.36 crore among major parties, followed by BJP at ₹2.97 crore and Congress at ₹17.92 crore for its two winners, against an overall graduate qualification rate of 63% and 13% women representation.

The Association for Democratic Reforms highlighted persistent concerns over the criminalisation of politics and rising wealth concentration among elected representatives in West Bengal. The data will inform ongoing electoral reform debates as stakeholders assess compliance with disclosure norms and the implications for governance.