As many as 151 sitting MPs and MLAs have declared cases related to crimes against women in their election affidavits, with BJP having the highest number of lawmakers facing such cases, according to a recent report by Association for Democratic Reforms.

For the report, the poll rights body examined 4,693 out of 4,809 affidavits of sitting MPs and MLAs submitted to the Election Commission of India during elections between 2019 and 2024, PTI news agency reported.

The organisation identified 16 MPs and 135 MLAs facing cases related to crimes against women.

There are 16 sitting MPs and MLAs who have declared cases related to rape under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 376, which carries a minimum sentence of 10 years and can be extend to life imprisonment. Of these, two are MPs and 14 MLAs.

Among political parties, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has the highest number of representatives (54 MPs and MLAs) with declared cases related to crimes against women, followed by the Congress with 23 and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) with 17, according to the report.

West Bengal tops the list with 25 sitting MPs and MLAs facing charges related to crimes against women, followed by Andhra Pradesh with 21 and Odisha with 17.

The report that comes amid the nationwide protests over the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor in a state-run hospital in West Bengal’s Kolkata and sexual assault of two children in Maharashtra’s Thane and several rape cases reported in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.