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Around 32 per cent of sitting Rajya Sabha members have declared criminal cases against themselves, with a sizeable section also reporting extremely high assets, according to a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).

The report, based on an analysis of affidavits of 229 out of 233 MPs, reveals that 73 members have declared criminal cases, including 36 (16 per cent) facing serious charges. These range from one case of murder and four cases of attempt to murder to three cases involving crimes against women, underscoring concerns over the criminalisation of politics.

Party-wise data shows that 27 of 99 BJP MPs have declared criminal cases, followed by 12 of 28 Congress MPs, four of 13 Trinamool Congress MPs, and four of 10 Aam Aadmi Party MPs. Three MPs each from CPI(M) and BRS have also disclosed criminal cases in their affidavits.

The report further highlights the growing concentration of wealth among lawmakers. As many as 31 MPs, around 14 per cent, have declared assets exceeding ₹100 crore. The average assets per Rajya Sabha MP stand at ₹120.69 crore, indicating a sharp disparity in wealth representation.

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Among the major parties, average declared assets vary widely. While BJP MPs reported an average of ₹28.29 crore, Congress MPs averaged ₹128.61 crore. AAP MPs reported the highest average at ₹574.09 crore, followed by YSRCP at ₹522.63 crore.

BRS MP Bandi Partha Saradhi topped the list as the wealthiest member, declaring assets of over ₹5,300 crore. He was followed by AAP’s Rajinder Gupta, with assets exceeding ₹5,053 crore, and YSRCP’s Alla Ayodhya Rami Reddy, who declared assets of more than ₹2,577 crore.

At the lower end, AAP MP Sant Balbir Singh declared assets of approximately ₹3 lakh, while Maharaja Sanajaoba Leishemba of Manipur and TMC’s Prakash Chik Baraik reported assets of around ₹5 lakh and ₹9 lakh respectively.

The findings come amid persistent debates on electoral reforms, transparency, and the need to curb the entry of candidates with serious criminal backgrounds into legislatures. The ADR has repeatedly called for stricter enforcement of disclosure norms and greater accountability to strengthen public trust in democratic institutions.