New Delhi: The Assembly election in Assam is going to take place on April 9 to elect 126 members of the state’s Legislative Assembly. The votes will be counted and the results will be declared on May 4. The candidates in the fray have submitted self-sworn election affidavits.
14 per cent candidates facing criminal cases
Like in every election, the criminal backgrounds of the candidates in Assam have also come under the scanner. The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has reported that 102 candidates out of the 722 contesting have declared criminal cases against themselves. While that means 14 per cent of the candidates are facing criminal cases, 82 or 11 per cent have serious criminal charges against them. In the 2021 Assembly elections, 138 of 941 candidates, or about 15 per cent had reported criminal cases.
Parties with most criminal cases
The All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), which is the third largest political party in Assam Legislative Assembly after the BJP and Congress top the chart among the major parties with 11 out of its 20 candidates, or 37 per cent of its candidates facing criminal cases. The next is Congress with with 28 of 99 candidate, or 28 per cent. The Asom Gana Parishad has six of 26 candidates with criminal cases, and the BJP has 9 per cent.
Notably candidates with criminal cases
Akhil Gogoi, the president of Raijor Dal and sitting MLA from Sibsagar has the most declared cases. His election affidavit reveals that Gogoi has 21 pending criminal cases, including serious charges like criminal conspiracy, and abetment of waging war. Most of the criminal cases against him have links to his leadership in the 2019 anti-CAA protests and is yet to be convicted in any one of those cases.
Badruddin Ajmal, AIUDF’s founder and president, has declared one pending criminal case related to alleged objectionable statements. Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has zero pending criminal reportedly cases as per his nomination affidavit for the 2026 election. The Gauhati High Court has reportedly acquitted him in several old cases. Another BJP candidate, Shiladitya Dev from Hojai has reportedly declared around 13 criminal cases against him.