An analysis of self-sworn affidavits shows that 18% of candidates contesting the 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly elections face criminal charges, while 25% of them possess assets worth crores, according to a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Tamil Nadu Election Watch.
The report examined 3,992 of the 4,023 candidates, finding that 722 have declared criminal cases — a rise from 13% in 2021. It flagged the trend as a warning sign for electoral reform, stating that political parties continue to field candidates with criminal backgrounds.
The financial profile of candidates has also shifted sharply. Average assets have risen to ₹5.17 crore from ₹1.72 crore in 2021, with 981 candidates declaring assets above ₹1 crore. Among them, AIADMK’s Leemarose Martin tops the list with assets exceeding ₹5,863 crore, followed by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam’s C. Joseph Vijay with over ₹648 crore.
The report underlined the growing influence of money power, noting that major parties overwhelmingly field wealthy candidates. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leads in this regard, with 97% of its candidates classified as “crorepatis”. This comes despite a 2020 directive by the Supreme Court of India requiring parties to provide clear and merit-based reasons for selecting candidates with criminal records.
Party-wise, the AIADMK has the highest proportion of candidates with criminal cases among major parties at 69%, while Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam has 40%. Overall, 22 candidates have declared assets exceeding ₹100 crore, and the total assets of all candidates amount to ₹20,678 crore. The report concludes that judicial directions have had little impact on candidate selection, with parties continuing to prioritise winnability over clean records.
