4,192 cases pending against Indian lawmakers, 14 chief ministers face charges

India's Supreme Court has been presented with a report revealing that over 4,190 criminal cases are pending against sitting and former lawmakers across the country, while 14 of the nation's 28 chief ministers face serious criminal charges. The findings were detailed in an affidavit submitted to the apex court on August 18, 2026, by senior advocate Vijay Hansaria, who serves as amicus curiae in a public interest litigation seeking the swift disposal of such cases.

The report, based on data from July 2026, indicates that a total of 4,192 criminal cases are pending trial against Members of Parliament and Members of Legislative Assemblies. Of these, 519 have been pending for more than a decade. An additional 700 cases remain under investigation, with 360 stalled at that stage for over three years without a chargesheet being filed. The affidavit noted that in 2025 alone, 1,243 cases were decided while 1,050 new ones were registered.

At the parliamentary level, the report shows that 251 of the 543 members of the Lok Sabha have declared criminal cases. Among them, 170 face serious charges, which are defined as offences punishable with imprisonment of five years or more. In the Rajya...