According to a study by civil society groups, the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch, India has 153 MPs who have criminal cases pending against them.

The BJP has 43 tainted MPs of which 19 MPs have grave criminal charges against them while the Congress Party has 41 MPs out of which 12 MPs have serious criminal charges against them.

The group has sent a letter to the Congress Party leaders requesting them to keep these MPs away from the Cabinet.

It is also reported that of the 153 tainted MPs, 74 have serious criminal charges against them. Some of the serious charges include murder and gang war.

The letters addressed to Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and son Rahul Gandhi appealed, “It would be appropriate that none of the newly elected MPs with criminal cases pending against them be made ministers in the new government.”