No new Sikkim MLAs have criminal background: ADR

None of the winners of the just concluded Sikkim Assembly elections have any serious criminal cases against them, as per their sworn affidavits.

"It's the first time since 2009 that the Sikkim Assembly will have members with no criminal background making laws for the people," said the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) report on Saturday.

The Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) has 17 legislators and the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) 15 in the 32-member Assembly.

The report, which also focussed on wealth, education and other details of MLAs, said 24 legislators (75 per cent) declared Rs 10 crore plus wealth. 15 MLAs of the SDF and 11 of the SKM have Rs 1 crore plus with assets. SDF's Dilliram Thapa has declared over Rs 67 crore wealth.

According to the report, though there was no difference in percentage term in the wealth declared by legislators between 2014 and 2019, it had increased more than 20 per cent as was evident from the affidavits filed for the 2009 Assembly elections.

The average asset per MLA in the 2019 Assembly is Rs 8.63 crore, which is 20 per cent more over the average asset per MLA in the 2014 Assembly.

According to the ADR, 50 per cent MLAs declared primary and higher secondary education, the remaining were graduates or above.

The highest number of MLAs is in the 41-50 years age group. There are only three women in the Sikkim Assembly.

--IANS

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