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Source
The Tribune
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/himachal/41-new-legislators-facing-criminal-cases-459460
Date
City
Shimla

The 14th Vidhan Sabha will have 40 Congress MLAs, 25 of the BJP and three Independent MLAs, most of whom are younger, richer and more qualified than the legislators in the previous Assembly.

23 belong to Congress, 5 to Saffron party

  • Data compiled by the Assn for Democratic Reforms & HP Election Watch reveals 18% of the new MLAs face serious criminal charges
  • In all, 23 of the 40 Congress MLAs and five of the 25 BJP legislators are facing criminal cases this time

However, one exception is the higher percentage of MLAs with criminal cases against them. Data compiled by the Association for Democratic Reforms and the HP Election Watch reveals that 41% of the newly elected MLAs face criminal charges while and 18% of them face serious criminal charges. In all, 23 of the 40 Congress MLAs and five of the 25 BJP legislators are facing criminal cases this time.

The percentage of crorepati MLAs has gone up from 76% in 2017 to 93% this time. As per the data, 95% of the Congress MLAs 88% of the BJP MLAs are crorepatis. All three Independent MLAs are also crorepatis.

Two MLAs have doctorate degrees, 15 are postgraduates, 16 graduates, seven Class XII pass and nine Class X pass. The lone woman MLA, Reena Kashyap from Pachhad in Sirmaur, has been elected for the second time.

The average value of assets of the MLAs in the Assembly, too, has increased from Rs 8.88 crore in 2017 to Rs 13.26 crore this time. Also, 34 MLAs have assets worth over Rs 5 crore while 23 MLAs have assets worth between Rs 2 crore and Rs 5 crore. Nine MLAs have assets valuing between Rs 2 crore and Rs 50 lakh while only two MLAs have assets worth less than Rs 50 lakh.

The 40 Congress MLAs have total assets worth Rs 14.25 crore while 25 of the BJP havea ssets worth Rs 12.42 crore. The three Independent MLAs have assets worth Rs 7.09 crore. Balbir Verma, BJP MLA from Chopal, is the richest with assets worth Rs 128.45 crore, followed by Vikramaditya Singh Rs 101.39 crore and RS Bali from Nagrota Bagwan Rs 92.36 crore.

Lokender Kumar, BJP MLA from Anni in Kullu, has the minimum valued assets of Rs 29 lakh.

The highest number of 28 MLAs fall in the 50 to 60 years age category and 20 in the 40 to 50 years group. Eight MLAs each are in the 60 to 70 years and the 30-40 years groups.