The report analysed the criminal, financial, educational details of 60 out of 75 sitting MLCs. Out of the 60, about 63 percent, i.e. 38 MLCs, has criminal cases pending against them.
The 15 MLCs whose details were not analysed include three MLCs whose affidavits were unavailable and 12 MLCs nominated from the governor’s quota who are not required to submit their affidavits. Their information on criminal, financial and other details were not available in the public domain.
As per the affidavits filed, 33 per cent of them or 20 MLCs, have serious criminal cases registered against them. Two members face murder cases (IPC 302) against them, while nine MLCs have cases of attempt to murder (IPC 307) going on against them. Cases of atrocities against women are pending against two members.
Analysed on party lines, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has 10 out of 14 MLCs, i.e., 71 percent, who face criminal cases, closely followed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), whose 11 out of 16 MLCs (69%) have criminal cases against them. The BJP’s alliance partner, the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) has, however, less MLCs with criminal cases – 8 out of 17 (47%). In the category of serious criminal cases, the BJP has five out of 16 members, the RJD has five members, the JD(U) seven out of 17 and independents have one member.
Though the data for previous Council members were not available, the average of assets per MLC is ₹33.87 crore. Analysed party-wise, the average assets per MLC for 16 BJP MLCs is ₹25.10 crore, 17 JD(U) MLCs have an average asset of ₹11.40 crore, 14 RJD MLCs have an average asset worth ₹15.64 crore, 4 Congress MLCs have an average asset worth ₹7.79 crore, two Communist Party of India (CPI) MLCs have an average asset worth ₹2.59 crore, one Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) MLC has an average asset worth ₹43.82 crore, one Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) MLC has an average asset worth ₹2.57 crores and five Independent MLCs have an average asset of ₹227.05 crore.
Out of the 60 members, 94%, i.e. 54 members, are crorepatis. Of these, the number of members with assets of more than ₹10 crore is 25, while the number of members with assets from ₹5 to 10 crore is 10, the number of members with assets from ₹1 crore to 5 crore is 19 and members with assets of ₹20 lakh to 1 crore is six. The party with the most millionaire MLCs is the BJP, 15 out of 16, closely followed by the JD (U), 15 out of 17, 12 out of 14 in the RJD and three out of four in the Congress.
Sachchidanand Rai (Independent), an ex-BJP MLC has the highest total assets of ₹1108 crore while newly-elected RJD MLC, Munni Devi has assets worth ₹29 lakh.
Talking of educational qualification, 15 (25%) MLCs have declared their educational qualification to be between 5th pass and 12th pass while 43 (72%) MLCs have declared having an educational qualification of graduate or above; while one legislator is a diploma holder and one is literate. The saffron party has five MLCs with doctorates and four post graduates while the JD (U) has four MLCs with doctorates and four post graduates.