Jayaprakash Narayan, head of the political advocacy group Lok Satta, estimates that about 300-400 of India's 4,072 state legislators and perhaps 15-20 of its 545 members of Parliament are accused of serious crimes -- right up to kidnapping, rape and murder (AP via Newsday.com).

He adds that ironically some of these are model legislators since they can get things done in their constituency.

The Bihar High Court has asked the Election Comission to consider banning prisoners from running for office but the it is not clear when the EC will issue such a ruling.

As noted in this earlier entry, Indian law doesn't allow those held in prison to vote but it doesn't stop them from running for office.