Criminal cases against 47 new legislators in Gujarat, 22 in Himachal: Report

As many as 47 (26 per cent) of the newly-elected MLAs in Gujarat and 22 (32 per cent) in Himachal Pradesh have criminal cases against them, election watchdog Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) said on Tuesday.

The ADR, which analysed the self-sworn affidavits filed of the MLAs from both states where results for assembly elections were declared on Monday, also found that 141 of total 182 Gujarat MLAs and 52 of total 68 Himachal Pradesh MLAs were 'crorepatis' (millionaires).

Meanwhile, Gujarat had 13 women MLAs or (7 per cent) while the number is four (6 per cent) in Himachal Pradesh.

It its report, the ADR said the total number of MLAs with cases related to serious crimes is 33 and two of them have declared cases related to murder while one is charged with a case related to rape.

In Himachal Pradesh, the number of MLAs with serious crime has been found to be eight.

In Gujarat, 18 out of 99 MLAs from the Bharatiya Janata Party, 25 out of 77 MLAs from Congress, one out of two MLAs from the Bhartiya Tribal Party, one MLA from Nationalist Congress Party and two out of three independent MLAs have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.

In Himachal Pradesh, two out of 21 MLAs from Congress, 18 out of 44 MLAs from the BJP, one MLA from the CPI-M and one of two independent MLAs have been charges with criminal cases, the ADR said.

In Gujarat, 84 of 99 BJP MLAs and 54 of 77 Congress MLAs have declared assets valued more than Rs 1 crore, while in Himachal Pradesh, all 21 Congress and 28 of 44 BJP MLAs are crorepatis.

The average of assets per MLA in Gujarat is Rs 8.46 crore while it is Rs 8.88 crore in Himachal Pradesh.

In Gujarat, 96 (53 per cent) MLAs have declared their education qualification to be between class 5 and class 12 pass while 69 (38 per cent) MLAs have declared that there are a graduate or above.

There are seven MLAs who have declared themselves as just literates while one MLA is illiterate, the ADR said.

In Himachal Pradesh, 21 (31 per cent) MLAs have studied between class 8 and 12 while 47 (69 per cent) MLAs have declared they had done graduation or more.

--IANS

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