CHENNAI: As many as 56 (24%) of the newly elected MLAs out of 233 have serious criminal cases -- including murder cases, attempted murder cases, crimes against women -- pending against them, finds an analysis by Association for Democratic Reforms.While 19 out of 107 winning candidates from TVK have serious criminal cases against them, 14 candidates each from DMK and AIADMK parties have serious cases. Two candidates each from Congress, PMK and one each from CPI, IUML, VCK, AMMK, DMDK also declared serious criminal cases against them in their affidavits.

"While one candidate has declared cases related to murder, six winning candidates have declared cases related to attempt to murder and two winning candidates have declared cases related to crime against women," said Joseph Victor Raj, coordinator, Tamil Nadu Election Watch.The total number of candidates with serious criminal cases remained more or less the same compared to the 2021 election. In the previous election, 57 candidates with serious criminal cases against them were elected.Offences for which maximum punishment is of five years or more, offences related to assault, murder, kidnap, rape related, offences under prevention of corruption act and crimes against women and children were classified as serious criminal cases.

At least 126 winning candidates out of 233 have (54%) criminal cases against them. While 41 candidates from TVK have declared criminal cases against them, 37 candidates from DMK and 33 candidates from AIADMK and three from Congress have criminal cases pending against them. Two from PMK, one from CPI, IUML, VCK and AMMK and DMDK have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.