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—eci-candidate-affidavits [2026/07/22 15:51] (current) – created - external edit 127.0.0.1
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 +{{htmlmetatags>metatag-keywords=(eci candidate affidavit, election commission affidavit, candidate criminal cases, candidate assets liabilities, mp affidavit, mla affidavit, eci portal, voter information, election candidate affidavit 2024 2026, electoral bonds)
 +metatag-description=(How to find any Indian candidate's ECI affidavit — assets, liabilities, criminal cases, education. Election Commission of India portal walkthrough + RTI escalation.)}}
  
 +====== ECI Candidate Affidavits 2026 — Find Any MP/MLA Assets + Cases ======
 +
 +{{ :social:auto:eci-candidate-affidavits.png?direct&1200 |ECI candidate affidavits — RTI Wiki guide 2026}}
 +
 +
 +
 +<WRAP center round info 95%>
 +**Quick Reply:** How to find any Indian candidate's ECI affidavit — assets, liabilities, criminal cases, education. Election Commission of India portal walkthrough + RTI escalation.
 +</WRAP>
 +
 +**Quick answer.** Every Indian candidate for **Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, State Legislative Assembly, and State Legislative Council** must file a **sworn affidavit** with the **Election Commission of India (ECI)** disclosing: **criminal cases, assets, liabilities, education, and family-member assets**. These affidavits are **public** and accessible at [[https://affidavit.eci.gov.in|affidavit.eci.gov.in]]. To find any sitting MP / MLA / Rajya Sabha member's affidavit: open the portal → pick **State** → **Election year** → **Constituency** → **Candidate name**. The full PDF affidavit downloads. Cross-reference with **MyNeta** ([[https://myneta.info|myneta.info]]) and **ADR (Association for Democratic Reforms)** for cleaner summaries. If a candidate's data is missing or appears falsified, file an RTI to the **Returning Officer (Constituency RO)** or to the **ECI Secretariat** under §6(1) RTI Act 2005.
 +
 +<WRAP center round tip 95%>
 +**🔔 Track ECI affidavit releases by email.** When new state elections file affidavits, get notified. **[[https://righttoinformation.wiki/donor.php|Help RTI Wiki yearly →]]**
 +</WRAP>
 +
 +===== What an ECI affidavit contains =====
 +
 +Filed under **Section 33A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951** + ECI guidelines, every affidavit must declare:
 +
 +  * **Criminal cases** — pending cases (charges framed), convictions, ongoing trials.
 +  * **Assets** (movable + immovable):
 +    * Cash in hand
 +    * Bank deposits
 +    * Bonds, mutual funds, equity (with company names)
 +    * Vehicles
 +    * Jewellery (with weight + value)
 +    * Land, residential, commercial property (with address + value)
 +  * **Liabilities** — loans, tax dues, government dues.
 +  * **Income** — last 5 years' Income Tax Returns.
 +  * **Education** — institution, year, qualification.
 +  * **Spouse's assets** — same level of detail.
 +  * **Dependent children's assets** (if minor).
 +
 +False declaration is punishable under **Section 125A RPA 1951** with imprisonment up to 6 months + fine.
 +
 +===== How to find any candidate's affidavit =====
 +
 +==== Method 1 — ECI portal (primary source) ====
 +
 +  - Open [[https://affidavit.eci.gov.in|affidavit.eci.gov.in]].
 +  - Pick **Election Type** (Lok Sabha / State Assembly / Rajya Sabha / State Council).
 +  - Pick **Year**.
 +  - Pick **State**.
 +  - Browse **Constituency** → **Candidate**.
 +  - Click candidate name → download the affidavit PDF.
 +
 +==== Method 2 — MyNeta (citizen-friendly) ====
 +
 +  - Open [[https://myneta.info|myneta.info]].
 +  - Search by candidate name OR pick state → constituency.
 +  - MyNeta shows: criminal cases (yes/no + charges), wealth growth between elections, education, attendance in legislature, debate participation.
 +  - Click "Affidavit" tab to see the source PDF.
 +
 +==== Method 3 — ADR Reports ====
 +
 +  - Open [[https://adrindia.org|adrindia.org]].
 +  - Look up //Election Watch// reports for any election year.
 +  - Reports analyse: % of candidates with criminal cases, average assets, education distribution, party-wise ranking.
 +
 +===== How to read an affidavit =====
 +
 +  - **Page 1 — Personal details**: name, address, party, age.
 +  - **Page 2 — Criminal**: list pending cases (FIR no, IPC sections, court).
 +  - **Page 3-5 — Movable assets**: bank deposits per branch, equity holdings per company, jewellery breakdown.
 +  - **Page 6-10 — Immovable assets**: each property with address, area, value.
 +  - **Page 11+ — Spouse / family** assets in same format.
 +  - **Last page — Liabilities** and **5-year ITR data**.
 +
 +===== If a candidate's affidavit is missing or wrong =====
 +
 +==== Step 1 — File RTI to Returning Officer (RO) ====
 +
 +For pre-poll affidavits, the Returning Officer of that constituency is the public authority. RTI in this format:
 +
 +> //To the Returning Officer, [Constituency Name],//
 +> //Under §6(1) RTI Act 2005, please furnish://
 +> //1. Affidavit of [Candidate Name] filed for [Election Year] from [Constituency].//
 +> //2. Date of filing.//
 +> //3. Date of public uploading on ECI portal.//
 +> //4. Action, if any, taken on Form 26 verification.//
 +
 +==== Step 2 — File RTI to ECI Secretariat ====
 +
 +If the RO doesn't have the data or has shifted, the ECI Secretariat in Delhi holds the master copy. Address:
 +
 +> //CPIO, Election Commission of India, Nirvachan Sadan, Ashoka Road, New Delhi - 110001//
 +
 +Timeline: 30 days under §7(1) RTI Act 2005.
 +
 +===== Comparison: ECI portal vs MyNeta vs ADR =====
 +
 +| Feature                  | ECI Portal       | MyNeta              | ADR                |
 +| Source                   | Primary (govt)   | Aggregator          | Analytical reports |
 +| Search ease              | Slow, multi-step | Fast, single-search | Static reports     |
 +| Wealth growth comparison | No               | Yes (5-yr trend)    | Aggregated         |
 +| Attendance + debate data | No               | Yes                 | Aggregated         |
 +| Criminal cases analysis  | Raw PDF          | Structured          | Statistical        |
 +| Best use                 | Original source  | Citizen lookup      | Research / media   |
 +
 +===== Frequently asked questions =====
 +
 +==== Are ECI affidavits public? ====
 +
 +Yes — under **§4(1)(b)(xii) RTI Act 2005** + ECI's own transparency guidelines, candidate affidavits are public information and must be uploaded to the ECI portal within 24 hours of submission.
 +
 +==== Can I file an RTI for a candidate's spouse's bank statements? ====
 +
 +No. The affidavit declares assets but not raw bank statements. RTI to the RO can only reveal what's in the public affidavit. For deeper info, only the **Income Tax Department** has bank-level data, and that's exempt under §8(1)(j) for personal information unless overridden by §8(2) public interest test.
 +
 +==== What if a candidate hides assets? ====
 +
 +If you have evidence of undisclosed assets:
 +  * File a complaint with the **District Election Officer (DEO)** within 7 days of nomination.
 +  * File a writ petition in the High Court under **§83 RPA 1951**.
 +  * Use **ADR / MyNeta** discrepancy reports for ammunition.
 +
 +==== How are electoral bonds disclosed? ====
 +
 +Post the **Electoral Bonds judgment of February 15, 2024 (Supreme Court)**, the State Bank of India (SBI) was directed to disclose all bond purchases and redemptions. The data is now on the ECI portal. Use the [[:cases:adr-v-uoi-electoral-bonds-2024|ADR v Union of India 2024]] case page for full context.
 +
 +==== Is education-qualification self-attested or verified? ====
 +
 +Self-attested by the candidate in the affidavit. ECI does not verify the degree directly. If you have evidence of a fake degree, file an RTI to the issuing university to confirm enrolment + graduation.
 +
 +===== Apply for a home loan (cross-promo) =====
 +
 +Looking at candidate wealth data and considering buying property yourself? Compare home loan options:
 +
 +  * **HDFC Home Loans** — [[https://www.hdfc.com/housing-loans|hdfc.com/housing-loans]]
 +  * **SBI Home Loans** — [[https://homeloans.sbi/|homeloans.sbi]]
 +  * **LIC Housing Finance** — [[https://www.lichousing.com|lichousing.com]]
 +
 +===== Related =====
 +
 +  * [[:cases:adr-v-uoi-electoral-bonds-2024|ADR v UoI Electoral Bonds (SC 2024)]]
 +  * [[:mp-mla-tracking-pillar|MP & MLA tracking — 783 sitting parliamentarians]]
 +  * [[:rti-for-fir-status|RTI for stuck court files]]
 +  * [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/tools/ai-rti-draft-app.html|RTI Drafter — for ECI Returning Officer]]
 +
 +===== Sources =====
 +
 +  * Election Commission of India — affidavit portal documentation.
 +  * Section 33A and 125A, Representation of the People Act, 1951.
 +  * Supreme Court — //Union of India v ADR// (2002), //ADR v UoI// (2024 Electoral Bonds).
 +  * Form 26 — ECI prescribed candidate affidavit format.
 +
 +//Last reviewed: 5 May 2026 — RTI Wiki editorial team.//
 +
 +{{tag>eci election-commission candidate-affidavit assets-disclosure criminal-cases mp mla 2026 transparency rti}}
 +===== ECI candidate affidavits: How to access and use election affidavit data =====
 +
 +ECI candidate affidavits — complete guide on accessing and using Election Commission of India candidate affidavit data:
 +
 +  - **Step 1: What are ECI candidate affidavits?** (a) the Election Commission of India (ECI) — requires every candidate — contesting elections to the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, and State Assemblies — to file an affidavit — disclosing: (i) the criminal cases (pending and convicted — including the FIR number, the section, the court, and the status), (ii) the assets and liabilities (the movable and immovable assets — of the candidate — and the spouse — and the dependents — and the liabilities — including loans and dues), (iii) the educational qualifications (the highest qualification — and the institution), (iv) the income (the annual income — from all sources — of the candidate — and the spouse — and the dependents), (b) the affidavit is filed — on Form 26 — at the time of nomination — and is sworn before a Magistrate/Notary — and is a public document, (c) the affidavit is mandatory — and a candidate who fails to file — or files a false affidavit — can be disqualified — under Section 9A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 — and can be prosecuted — under Section 125A of the RPA.
 +  - **Step 2: How to access ECI candidate affidavits.** (a) the ECI publishes the affidavits — on its website — affadavit.eci.gov.in — and the citizen can search — by: (i) the election type (Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, or Assembly), (ii) the state and constituency, (iii) the year, (iv) the candidate name, (b) the ECI also publishes the affidavits — on the Voter Helpline App — and the citizen can access — through the app, (c) the National Election Watch — and the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) — maintain a database — of the affidavits — at myneta.info — with a user-friendly interface — and the citizen can search — and compare — the candidates, (d) the citizen can also file RTI — with the ECI — to get the affidavit — if it is not available online — or to get the certified copy.
 +  - **Step 3: How to use the affidavit data.** (a) verify the criminal background: (i) check the criminal cases — declared in the affidavit, (ii) cross-verify — with the court records — and the police records — through RTI, (iii) compare — with the previous affidavits — if the candidate has contested before — to check for discrepancies, (b) verify the assets: (i) check the assets declared — in the affidavit, (ii) compare — with the previous affidavits — to check for unusual increase, (iii) cross-verify — with the land records — and the vehicle records — through RTI, (c) verify the educational qualifications: (i) check the qualification declared — in the affidavit, (ii) cross-verify — with the university — through RTI — or the university's verification portal, (d) verify the income: (i) check the income declared — in the affidavit, (ii) compare — with the ITR — if available — through RTI — with the Income Tax Department, (e) report discrepancies: (i) if the affidavit is false — or incomplete — file a complaint — with the ECI — and the Returning Officer, (ii) file a PIL — in the High Court — or the Supreme Court — for disqualification, (iii) approach the media — to create public awareness.
 +  - **Step 4: File RTI on ECI candidate affidavits.** File RTI with the Election Commission of India (the ECI is a public authority under the RTI Act) asking for: (a) the affidavit: "Provide the certified copy — of the affidavit — filed by [candidate name] — for [election] — in [constituency] — including: (i) the criminal cases, (ii) the assets and liabilities, (iii) the educational qualifications, (iv) the income", (b) the verification: "Provide the verification report — of the affidavit — filed by [candidate name] — including: (i) whether the ECI verified the affidavit, (ii) the discrepancies found — if any, (iii) the action taken — on the discrepancies", (c) the complaints: "Provide the complaints received — against [candidate name] — for false affidavit — and the action taken — and the status", (d) the disqualification: "Provide the disqualification proceedings — against [candidate name] — for false affidavit — and the order — and the status", (e) the nomination: "Provide the nomination papers — filed by [candidate name] — including: (i) the nomination form, (ii) the affidavit, (iii) the supporting documents, (iv) the scrutiny report".
 +  - **Step 5: Key Supreme Court orders on candidate affidavits.** (a) the Association for Democratic Reforms vs Union of India (2002): the Supreme Court directed the ECI — to require the candidates — to disclose: (i) the criminal cases, (ii) the assets and liabilities, (iii) the educational qualifications — in an affidavit — at the time of nomination, (b) the Resurgence India vs Election Commission of India (2013): the Supreme Court held that: (i) the affidavit is mandatory, (ii) a candidate who leaves the affidavit blank — or files a false affidavit — can be disqualified, (iii) the ECI must verify the affidavit — and take action — on the discrepancies, (c) the Lok Prahari vs Election Commission of India (2018): the Supreme Court directed that: (i) the candidates must disclose the assets — of the spouse — and the dependents — and the Hindu Undivided Family, (ii) the candidates must disclose the sources of income — and the business interests, (d) the Public Interest Foundation vs Union of India (2019): the Supreme Court directed that: (i) the candidates must disclose the criminal cases — in the affidavit — and the political parties — must publish the criminal records — of their candidates — on their websites — and in the newspapers — and on TV — at least three times — before the election.
 +  - **Step 6: Common issues with candidate affidavits.** (a) incomplete affidavit: the candidate leaves columns blank — or provides partial information — to hide the criminal cases — or the assets — solution: (i) file a complaint with the ECI, (ii) file RTI with the ECI — asking for the complete affidavit, (b) false affidavit: the candidate declares false information — like no criminal cases — or lower assets — or higher qualifications — solution: (i) cross-verify — with the court records — and the land records — through RTI, (ii) file a complaint with the ECI — and the court — for disqualification — and prosecution, (c) ECI not verifying: the ECI does not verify the affidavit — and accepts it as filed — solution: (i) file RTI with the ECI — asking for the verification report, (ii) file a PIL — for the ECI to verify — and take action, (d) delayed disclosure: the ECI delays the publication of the affidavits — on the website — solution: (i) file RTI with the ECI — asking for the affidavit, (ii) access the ADR website — myneta.info — which publishes the affidavits — promptly.
 +  - **Step 7: Practical tips.** (a) check the ADR website (myneta.info — is the most user-friendly — and has the most comprehensive database — of the affidavits — and the candidate profiles), (b) cross-verify (do not rely on the affidavit alone — cross-verify — with the court records — and the land records — and the university records — through RTI), (c) report discrepancies (if you find discrepancies — file a complaint — with the ECI — and the court — and approach the media — to create awareness), (d) file RTI (if the affidavit is not available online — or the ECI has not verified — file RTI — to get the affidavit — and the verification report), (e) Example: An activist checked the affidavit — of a sitting MLA — on myneta.info — and found that the MLA had declared no criminal cases — but the activist cross-verified — with the court records — through RTI — and found that the MLA had 3 pending criminal cases — the activist filed a complaint — with the ECI — and the High Court — and the MLA was disqualified — and prosecuted — for filing a false affidavit.
 +
 +See [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/eci-candidate-affidavits|ECI Affidavits]] and [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/case-studies/electoral-bonds-rti|Electoral Bonds RTI]].
 +
 +{{tag>eci candidate affidavits election commission form 26 criminal cases assets liabilities educational qualifications adr myneta rti disqualification 2026}}
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