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ADR-TNEW report: 404 Tamil Nadu Assembly candidates face serious criminal cases; 722 have pending charges
A report by the Association for Democratic Reforms and Tamil Nadu Election Watch released on April 19, 2026 states that 404 candidates contesting the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections have serious criminal cases, and 722 have pending criminal cases. The report was released by P. Joseph Victor Raj and received by Jayaram Venkatesan of Arappor Iyakkam.
Why It Matters
The finding highlights concerns about candidate backgrounds in Tamil Nadu elections and the potential impact on governance and electoral transparency.
Timeline
1 Event
ADR-TNEW release of candidate-criminality report for Tamil Nadu elections
April 19, 2026
The Association for Democratic Reforms and Tamil Nadu Election Watch released a report on April 19, 2026 stating that at least 404 candidates contesting the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections have serious criminal cases against them, and 722 candidates have declared that they have criminal cases pending against them. P. Joseph Victor Raj, the Tamil Nadu Election Watch state coordinator, released the report, which was received by Jayaram Venkatesan, state coordinator of Arappor Iyakkam.