Taxpayers will need 100 yrs to match richest candidate's annual earnings

Income disparity seen across state and national figures

It will take 189 years for an average Indian to reach former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Nabam Tuki’s annual income. Tuki has the highest income among the 10 candidates from states voting in the first phase of the general elections, according to a recently released report by the Delhi-based Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). 

Business Standard looked at the household income of the ten highest-earning candidates (given as a consolidated figure including spouse and dependents) and compared it with the average gross total income for Indians filing income tax returns.

Tuki’s total income filed in the income tax return (ITR) was more than Rs 13 crore in 2022-23.  The average gross income of individuals filed in ITR was Rs 700,371.5, as per the latest data available from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE). This means that the average taxpayer will take nearly two centuries to earn what Tuki earns in a year.

Madhya Pradesh’s Nakul Nath was the next candidate on the highest income list. To match his earnings, it will take 176 years.

All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam candidate S Tamilani was in the 10th position on the list. To reach an income of over Rs 2 crore, it will take 33 years for the average Indian voter (chart 1).

Further analysis of data from ADR and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) shows that candidates' income compared to the per capita income in their respective states is larger.

For an average voter in Madhya Pradesh, more than 800 years are needed to reach Nath’s income level. The net state domestic product is taken on current prices.

Voters in Uttarakhand will take 867 years to reach the income of the state’s Member of Parliament (MP) Mala Rajya Lakshmi Shah.

To match the income of S Tamilmani, the Tamil Nadu voters will take 83 years (chart 2).