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" Shocking, 47% of Indian ministers face criminal charges | ₹23,929 crore total wealth revealed in ADR study 2025 "
The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) 2025 has released a detailed report on the criminal records, financial assets, education, and demographics of Indian ministers. The findings reveal a sharp contrast—while many ministers are highly educated and wealthy, a significant number also face criminal charges.
Below is a Point-by-Point breakdown of the report.
Let’s Analyze
1. MINISTERS WITH CRIMINAL CASES
- Out of
643 ministers across India, 302 (47%) have declared criminal
cases.
- 174
ministers face serious charges such as murder, kidnapping, and crimes
against women.
- This
raises serious concerns about the criminalization of politics in India.
2. UNION MINISTERS UNDER THE SCANNER
- Among 72
Union ministers, 29 (40%) have criminal cases.
- 19
central ministers face serious charges.
- This
indicates that criminal cases are not limited to state politics but
extend to the Union Cabinet as well.
3. MINISTERS’ TOTAL WEALTH AND AVERAGE ASSETS
- Combined
wealth of all ministers: ₹23,929 crore.
- Average
wealth per minister: ₹37.21 crore.
- 36
ministers are billionaires.
4. RICHEST MINISTERS IN INDIA
some of the top billionaire ministers are :
Top 5 Richest Ministers in India (ADR Report 2025)
| Minister | Party | Declared Assets |
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Chandrashekhar Pemmasani | TDP | ₹5,705 crore |
| D.K. Shivakumar | Congress | ₹1,413 crore |
| N. Chandrababu Naidu | TDP | ₹931 crore |
| Narayanaswamy Ponguru | TDP | ₹834 crore |
| Suresh B.S. | Congress | ₹648 crore |
| Political Party | Number of Billionaire Ministers |
|---|---|
| BJP | 14 |
| Congress | 11 |
| TDP | 6 |
| AAP | 6 |
| Jana Sena Party | 1 |
* This shows that wealthy politicians are spread across all major political parties.
6. STATE-WISE CRIMINAL BACKGROUND OF MINISTERS
- Andhra
Pradesh & Odisha : 88% ministers face criminal cases.
- Tamil
Nadu : 87% ministers face criminal cases.
- Maharashtra
: Out of 41 ministers, 25 (61%) have cases, including 16 with serious
charges.
Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Nagaland,
Uttarakhand : No ministers with
criminal cases
6. STATE-WISE CRIMINAL BACKGROUND OF MINISTERS
- Andhra
Pradesh & Odisha : 88% ministers face criminal cases.
- Tamil
Nadu : 87% ministers face criminal cases.
- Maharashtra
: Out of 41 ministers, 25 (61%) have cases, including 16 with serious
charges.
7. EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND OF MINISTERS
| Education Level | Number of Ministers |
|---|---|
| Illiterate | 1 |
| Up to Class 5 | 1 |
| Up to Class 8 | 17 |
| Class 10 | 42 |
| Class 12 | 104 |
| Graduates | 148 |
| Post-Graduates | 165 |
| Doctorates | 32 |
| Professional Degrees | 109 |
| Diploma Holders | 24 |
8. WOMEN IN INDIAN POLITICS
- Out of
643 ministers, 63 are women (10%).
- West
Bengal has the highest number (8 women ministers).
- Maharashtra
has 4 women ministers.
- Women’s
representation remains low in comparison to men.
9. AGE PROFILE OF MINISTERS
- 51–60
years : 241 ministers (largest group).
- 25–30
years : Only 4 ministers (youngest group).
- 81–90
years : 2 ministers (oldest group).
Indian politics continues to be dominated by middle-aged
leaders.
10. WHY THIS REPORT MATTERS
- Criminalization
of Politics : Nearly half of Indian ministers face criminal charges.
- Wealth
& Power Connection : Average assets per minister exceed ₹37 crore,
showing the influence of money in politics.
- Need
for Reform : New bills propose disqualification of ministers convicted
of serious crimes.
SUMMARY
The ADR report on Indian ministers (2025) highlights
two key realities: a high percentage of ministers facing criminal cases, and a
growing concentration of wealth among political leaders.
