Analysis by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has found as many as 35% of Uttar Pradesh Assembly members face criminal cases. These details came to light ahead of elections in the state that are due next year. According to ADR, as many as 27% of these face serious cases.
The ADR analysed declarations of 369 lawmakers and found seven of them have murder cases pending against them, 36 attempts to murder, and two crimes against women.
In a report based on the analysis, ADR said, "106 (35%) out of 304 MLAs (members of legislative assembly) from (ruling) BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), 18 (37%) out of 49 MLAs from SP (Samajwadi Party), 5 (31%) out of 16 MLAs from BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party) and 1 (14%) out of 7 MLAs from INC (Congress) have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits."
BSP's Mukhtar Ansari and Nirbal Indian Shoshit Hamara Aam Dal's Vijay Kumar face 16 criminal cases (EACH?).
It also found a decline in the percentage of MLAs facing criminal cases. In 2012, the ADR found that out of 403 MLAs, 47% faced charges.
Nearly 315 of the current lawmakers are crorepatis. The BJP has 304 MLAs and 235 of them are crorepatis. The SP has 42 crorepatis among the 49 MLAs. The BSP has 15 crorepatis and the Congress five. The BSP’s richest MLAs are Guddu Jamali and Vinay Tiwari. Two BJP MLAs and ministers Nand Gopal Nandi and Siddhartha Nath Singh have unpaid loans.
The ADR also said that Ajay Kumar Lallu (Congress) and Dhananjay and Vijay Rajbhar (BJP) have the least assets.
It is reported that at least 95 lawmakers are school dropouts, four are just literate and five hold diplomas. In all, 206 of the lawmakers are in the 25-50 age group while 190 are aged between 51 and 80.