Amid the high-octane drama unfolding in Karnataka with allegations that MLAs have been offered Rs 100 crore to defect, the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has come up with a report which shows that money was at play during the recently concluded polls.
Karnataka Election Watch and ADR have analysed the self-sworn affidavits of 221 out of 222 newly elected MLAs in the elections. The report states that the average assets per MLAs in Karnataka have gone up three times over a decade. Almost all MLAs are crorepatis this time, 99 per cent of Congress MLAs, 98 per cent of the BJP MLAs, and 95 per cent of JD(S) MLAs are crorepatis.
As per the ADR analysis, in the newly-elected assembly, the average asset per MLA is Rs 34.59 crore. In 2013, the average assets of 218 MLAs analysed were Rs 23.54 crore, while in 2008 it was Rs 10.05 crore.
The average assets of re-elected MLAs grew by 90 per cent.
Out of the 221 newly elected MLAs, 215 (97 per cent) are crorepatis while out of 218 MLAs analysed in 2013 assembly elections, 203 (93 per cent) MLAs were crorepatis.
On party basis, Congress party has most MLAs in the plus Rs 100 crore club. The party has 11 (14 per cent) out of 78 MLAs who have declared assets valued more than Rs 100 crore, while JD (S) has 3 (8 per cent) out of 37 MLAs and the BJP has only one out of 103 MLAs whose assets are valued at more than Rs 100 crore.
Major General Anil Verma (Retd.) told India Today, "It's clear that the ruling dispensation has more rich MLAs as compared to the other political parties, while 50 per cent of the MLAs have assets over Rs 10 crore, 22 per cent have between Rs 5-10 crore, while 26 per cent are between Rs 1-5 crore. This is an indication of money power playing havoc in electoral system, needless to say this is not the kind of democracy we want."
"Among those elected are mining barons and contractors, what kind of governance can be expected of them?" he added.
Maj. Gen Verma also pointed out that so far there is only a limit on the money spent by a candidate during election campaigning. He mentioned that the Election Commission had made a recommendation that there should be a cap on spending by political parties as well to ensure level playing field.
The number of MLAs with pending criminal cases has also gone up this time.
Out of the 221 MLAs analysed, 77 (35 per cent) MLAs have declared criminal cases against themselves. In 2013, out of 218 MLAs analysed 74 (34 per cent) had declared criminal cases against themselves.
This year, 54 (24 per cent) MLAs have declared serious criminal cases including cases related to attempt to murder, kidnapping etc. In 2013, 39 (17 per cent) MLAs had declared serious criminal cases against themselves while four MLAs declared cases related to attempt to murder (IPC Section 307).
Among the political parties, 42 (41 per cent) out of 103 MLAs from BJP, 23 (30 per cent) out of 78 MLAs from INC and 11 (30 per cent) out of 37 MLAs from JD (S) MLAs have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.
29 (28 per cent) out of 103 MLAs from BJP, 17 (22 per cent) out of 78 MLAs from INC and 8 (22 per cent) out of 37 MLAs from JD (S) MLAs have declared serious criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.
On the educational front, 80 (36 per cent) MLAs have declared their educational qualification to be between Class 5 and Class 12 while 135 (61 per cent) MLAs have declared having an educational qualification of Graduate or above. There is one MLA who has declared himself as just literate while one MLA who has not given his educational qualification in his affidavit.
Out of 221 MLAs, 7 (3 per cent) MLAs are women. In 2013, out of 218 MLAs, 5 (2 per cent) were women.
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