ABSTRACT
The twin issues which concern Indian elections at present are – one, the use of money power in Indian elections and two, large number of people’s representatives getting elected having a tainted background, some facing serious criminal cases. Concerns have been expressed on both these issues by politicians, analysts, civil society organizations, and all those who are concerned about the need for clean politics in India. But, sadly, instead of any control on this, the data collected and analyzed on the number of criminal cases pending against the candidates and elected representatives and their movable and immovable assets suggest both of these are on the rise. This is not only true of the state assembly elections but for the Lok Sabha election as well. This chapter presents data-based systematic analysis on the issue of money and muscle power in Indian Politics.
