Crowd gathers to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public rally for the West Bengal Assembly elections 2026. As many as 63% of the Bharatiya Janata Party candidates fielded in phase one of West Bengal polls are facing serious criminal charges. | Photo Credit: ANI One in every five candidates for the first-phase of West Bengal Assembly Elections, making 294 out of 1,475 poll aspirants, have self-declared serious criminal cases in their affidavits, a report by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and West Bengal Election watch revealed. As many as 23% candidates (345) in the poll fray have self-sworn to be charged under criminal cases. A “serious criminal case” is defined as one involving offences with a maximum punishment of five years or more, non-bailable offences, electoral offences, or charges related to assault, murder, kidnapping, rape, and crimes against women and children. Published – April 21, 2026 03:30 pm IST Share this: Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Click to share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email More Click to print (Opens in new window) Print Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Pocket Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon Click to share on Nextdoor (Opens in new window) Nextdoor Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky Like this:Like Loading... Post navigation Congress MP gives privilege notice against PM in Lok Sabha for ‘casting aspersions’ on members BJP always fails to deliver on promises, TMC’s welfare schemes to continue uninterrupted: Abhishek