Grand Alliance supporters celebrating the victory in Bihar assembly polls. (Press Trust of India file photo)
As many as 142 -- or 58 per cent -- of the newly-elected 243 Bihar lawmakers have criminal cases registered against them, according to a watchdog.
Of the total assembly members with criminal background, 98 (40 per cent) have serious charges including murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping and crimes against women, says the Bihar Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).
Charges have been framed against 70 members with criminal background, it said.
"Out of the 142 MLAs who have declared pending criminal cases against them, 70 (49 per cent) have declared that the charges for these cases have already been framed by the court of law," the study said.
Eleven lawmakers have cases related to murder and attempt to murder. Of these, four are from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
In 2010, of 228 lawmakers analysed, 76 (33 per cent) had serious criminal cases against them, it said.