FROM BALLOTS TO BULLETS: UNDERSTANDING THE CRIMINAL – POLITICAL NEXUS IN INDIAN ELECTIONS

Abstract

 The growing consolidation of Criminals within Indian political system poses serious challenges to the legitimacy of democracy and the quality of governance. Despite constitutional safeguards and a well- established electoral framework, a large number of legislators at both state and central levels continue to face serious criminal charges, including corruption, rape, murder and kidnapping etc. This paper explores the origins, causes, consequences of the criminalization of politics in India. Relying on Secondary Data, from the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), the Election Commission of Indian (ECI), and some relevant judicial precedents, it employs qualitative analysis to understand why candidates with criminal backgrounds succeed in the politics. The findings reveal that weak judicial mechanisms, intuitional loopholes, identity-based voting, and the dominance of money and muscle power sustain this trade. Such practices undermine the rule of law, distort governance priorities, and weaken public trust in the democratic institutions. Although mandatory disclosures and judicial interventions have increased electoral transparency, they remain insufficient to address the root causes. This paper argues for comprehensive reforms including stronger disqualification laws, greater of political party accountability, and increased voter awareness to safeguard India’s democracy.