2024 Odisha Elections See Surge In Candidates With Criminal Records

Bhubaneswar: In a concerning revelation by Odisha Election Watch and the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR), the 2024 Odisha Assembly Elections have witnessed an increase in the number of candidates with self-declared criminal records. This development is in direct violation of the Supreme Court’s directives aimed at curbing such practices.

Despite the Supreme Court’s mandate on February 13, 2020, which required political parties to justify the selection of candidates with criminal backgrounds, parties have continued to field such individuals. The analysis highlights that approximately 27% of the candidates in the 2024 elections have declared criminal cases against themselves.

Breaking down the numbers by party, the report finds that the BJP has the highest percentage, with 100 out of 147 candidates (68%) having criminal records. The Indian National Congress (INC) follows with 60 out of 145 candidates (41%), the BJD with 46 out of 147 candidates (31%), and the AAP with seven out of 41 candidates (17%) declaring criminal cases.

This trend is not new; the 2019 Odisha Assembly Elections saw 30% of the candidates with criminal cases, indicating a persistent issue. Notably, the number of candidates with serious criminal charges has also risen. In 2024, 292 candidates (23%) have serious criminal cases compared to 257 candidates (23%) in 2019.

The analysis excluded two candidates due to issues with their affidavit submissions. These were Brahmachari Nayak of the Supreme Zero Party of Bharat and a candidate from the Sambalpur Rengali (SC) seat.