Context

• According to the latest report by the non-profit organization Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), about 47% of ministers in India (including Union and State Cabinets) have declared criminal cases against them, of which 27% are of serious nature.

Key Findings

1. Prevalence of Criminal Cases

• Total cases: Out of 643 ministers, 302 (47%) have declared criminal cases.
• Serious cases: 174 ministers (27%) face serious charges, including murder, kidnapping, and crimes against women.

Party-wise data:

• BJP: Out of 336 ministers, 136 (40%) declared criminal cases; 88 (26%) have serious charges.
• Congress: Out of 61 ministers, 45 (74%) declared criminal cases; 18 (30%) have serious charges.
• DMK: Out of 31 ministers, 27 (87%) declared criminal cases; 14 (45%) serious.
• TMC: Out of 40 ministers, 13 (33%) declared criminal cases; 8 (20%) serious.
• TDP: Out of 23 ministers, 22 (96%) declared criminal cases; 13 (57%) serious.
• AAP: Out of 16 ministers, 11 (69%) declared criminal cases; 5 (31%) serious.

State-wise data:

• In 11 state assemblies (Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Odisha, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, and Puducherry), more than 60% of ministers declared criminal cases.
• Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Nagaland, and Uttarakhand have no ministers with declared criminal cases.

2. Financial Assets

• Total assets: The declared assets of 643 ministers amount to ₹23,929 crore, with an average of ₹37.21 crore per minister.

Billionaire ministers (by states):

• Karnataka: 8
• Andhra Pradesh: 6
• Maharashtra: 4
• Arunachal Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Telangana: 2 each
• Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab: 1 each

Richest ministers:

• TDP MP Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani (Guntur): Over ₹5,705 crore
• Karnataka Congress leader D.K. Shivakumar: ₹1,413 crore
• Andhra Pradesh CM N. Chandrababu Naidu (TDP): ₹931 crore

Poorest ministers:

• Sukla Charan Noatia (Tripura): ₹2 lakh
• Birbaha Hansda (TMC, West Bengal): ₹3 lakh

Party-wise billionaires:

• BJP: 14 billionaire ministers (4% of its ministers)
• Congress: 11 billionaires (18%)
• TDP: 6 billionaires (26%)
• JD(S): 50% of ministers are billionaires
• Jana Sena Party: 33% billionaires

3. Gender and Educational Profile

Women representation:

• Only 63 women ministers (10%).
• West Bengal has 20% women ministers, while Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Puducherry, and Sikkim have none.

Education:

• 71% ministers have graduate or higher degrees.
• 26% studied up to Class 12.

Age distribution:

• 61% ministers are aged between 41–60 years.
• 33% are above 60 years.
• Only 6% are below 40 years.