The poll watchdog analysed the 'criminal, financial and other background details of 219 out of 224 sitting MLAs' in Karnataka, ahead of the 2023 Assembly polls.
- According to ADR, 76 sitting MLAs (35 per cent) have declared criminal cases
- Out of the 219 sitting MLAs, only nine (4 per cent) were women, the analysis found
- Three Congress MLAs have high income as per their Income Tax Return (ITR) filings
Ahead of the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections, the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), in its analysis, has revealed that 95 per cent of sitting MLAs in the state were crorepatis, while 35 per cent have criminal cases.
The poll watchdog analysed the “criminal, financial and other background details of 219 out of 224 sitting MLAs” in Karnataka, where two seats are vacant, and three MLAs were not analysed due to the unavailability of their affidavits.
“This analysis is based on the affidavits submitted by the candidates before the 2018 Assembly elections and by-elections conducted thereafter,” ADR noted in its report released Thursday.
MLAs with criminal cases
According to ADR, out of 219 sitting MLAs in the state Assembly, 76 (35 per cent) have declared criminal cases. While 56 MLAs (26 per cent) have serious criminal cases, four have cases related to attempts to murder booked under Section 307 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The analysis revealed that out of Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) 118 MLAs, 49 (42 per cent) have criminal cases booked against them. The Congress’ (INC’s) 16 MLAs (24 per cent) out of 67 and 9 (30 per cent) out of 30 MLAs from Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)) have criminal cases.
Two of the four independent MLAs have declared criminal cases in their affidavits.
“35 (30 per cent) out of 118 MLAs from BJP, 13 (19 per cent) out of 67 MLAs from INC and 8 (27 per cent) out of 30 MLAs from JD(S) have declared serious criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits,” ADR revealed through its analysis.
Whose MLAs are the richest?
ADR analysis has revealed that out of 219 sitting MLAs in the state Assembly, 209 (95 per cent) were crorepatis. Congress has the highest number of crorepati MLAs – 65 (97 per cent) out of 67 – followed by BJP, whose 112 MLAs (95 per cent) out of 118 have assets over Rs 1 crore.
JD(S) is not far behind: its 28 MLAs (93 per cent) out of the 30 have assets over Rs 1 crore, ADR noted, adding that all the four independent MLAs were crorepatis.
The analysis found that the average assets per sitting MLA were Rs.29.85 crore.
“The average assets per MLA for 118 BJP MLAs analysed is Rs 19.60 crore, 67 INC MLAs analysed is Rs 48.58 crore, 30 JD(S) MLAs analysed is Rs 26.87 crore, and four independent MLAs have average assets of Rs.40.92 crores,” ADR noted.
Unsurprisingly, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar had the highest assets – over Rs 840 crore. The KPCC president represents the Kanakapura Assembly segment.
Another Congress MLA, Byrathi Suresh, who represents the Hebbal Assembly constituency in Bengaluru, has assets of over Rs 416 crore.
The third sitting MLA on the list with the highest number of assets is also from the Congress party: M Krishnappa, who represents the Vijayanagar constituency in Bengaluru, has assets of over Rs 236 crore.
Three Congress MLAs have high income as per their Income Tax Return (ITR) filings, ADR noted.
MLAs and their education
According to ADR, 73 (33 per cent) MLAs have their educational qualification to be between class 5 and class 12.
“A hundred and forty (64 per cent) MLAs have declared having an educational qualification of graduate or above. Five MLAs are Diploma holders and one MLA has declared himself just literate,” the poll watchdog noted.
Two MLAs – one from Congress and another from the JD(S) – have doctorate degrees.
Miniscule number of women legislators
Out of the 219 sitting MLAs, only nine (4 per cent) were women, the analysis by the poll watchdog has found. Of the nine women legislators, five were from Congress, three from the BJP and one from the JD(S).
Find the complete ADR report here:
