As Delhi readies for the February 5 elections, a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) sheds light on the wealth, criminal records, and educational backgrounds of the 699 candidates vying for assembly seats.

The wealth disparity is glaring, with BJP's Karnail Singh (Shakur Basti) emerging as the wealthiest candidate, boasting assets worth ₹259 crore, followed by BJP's Manjinder Singh Sirsa (₹248.85 crore) and Congress's Gurcharan Singh (₹130.90 crore). Five candidates have declared assets exceeding ₹100 crore, while three, including Shabana (Rashtriya Republican Party) and an Independent candidate, have declared zero assets. The average assets per candidate have surged to ₹5.65 crore from ₹4.34 crore in 2020. Among parties, BJP candidates lead in wealth with an average of ₹22.90 crore, followed by Congress (₹14.41 crore) and AAP (₹11.70 crore).

Criminal backgrounds remain a concern, with 15% of candidates declaring criminal cases. Alarmingly, 12% face serious charges, including crimes against women and murder. AAP has the highest proportion of candidates with criminal cases (63%), followed by Congress (41%) and BJP (29%).

The report also highlights educational diversity. While 46% of candidates have educational qualifications ranging from Class 5 to Class 12, 46% hold undergraduate or postgraduate degrees. Notably, eight candidates have PhDs, but 29 remain illiterate, up from 16 in 2020.

The largest age group is 41–50 years, with 235 candidates, while candidates above 70 have also increased. AAP's Rajender, at 88, is the oldest candidate.

This report underscores the multifaceted nature of Delhi's election, blending wealth, crime, and education.