Reports from the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) show that at least 49 of the MLAs elected to the 40-member Goa, 60-member Manipur and 70-member Uttarakhand assemblies are facing criminal charges. Of these, 34 are facing serious cases.
In 2017, 33 candidates faced criminal charges, while 22 of these assemblies faced serious charges.
Of the 170 MLAs elected to these assemblies, 145 (85%) are crorepatis, reports suggest. In 2017, 123 MLAs from three states were crorepatis.
Uttarakhand Assembly
Of the 70 winning candidates, 19 (27%) have declared criminal cases in their affidavits, with 10 (14%) facing serious criminal charges. In 2017, 22 (31%) MLAs declared criminal cases, while 14 (20%) declared serious criminal cases.
The BJP has a clear mandate in the state as it has won 47 seats, while the Congress has won 19 seats. Two candidates are independents, while two belong to the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
In terms of parties, eight of the BJP and eight of the Congress have declared criminal cases in their affidavits. One BSP MLA is facing criminal charges, while two independent MLAs are also on the list. In addition, five (11%) from the BJP, four (21%) from the Congress and one of the independent winners are facing serious criminal charges.
A total of 58 (83%) MLAs are millionaires, up from 51 in 2017. Eight (11%) of the 70 winning candidates are women. In 2017, 5 (7%) of the 70 MLAs were women.
Goa Assembly
Goa Election Watch and ADR have analyzed the affidavits of all the 40 winning candidates. Of these, 16 (40%) have declared criminal cases. In 2017, that number was nine (23%). In addition, 13 (33%) winning candidates have declared serious criminal cases, up from six (15%) in 2017.
In the 40-member Goa Assembly, the BJP won 20 seats, while the Congress won 11. Two MLAs are from AMGP and the same number are from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Three are from Azad and one from the Goa Forward Party and the Revolutionary Guan Party.
“Two winning candidates have announced criminal cases against women, one of which has filed rape (IPC section 376) cases,” the report said.
In terms of political parties, seven each from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress, while one each from Maharashtra Valley Gumantak Party (MGP) and Goa Forward Party have declared criminal cases in their affidavits. Six from the BJP and the Congress, while one from Maharashtra’s Gumantak Valley have announced serious criminal cases.
Of the 40 winning candidates, 39 (98%) are millionaires, and in 2017 all MLAs were millionaires, the report said.
In addition, three women have been elected to the House this time, one more than in the previous assembly.
Manipur Assembly
Of the 60 winning candidates, 14 (23%) have declared criminal cases in their affidavits, including 11 (18%) who are facing serious criminal cases. In 2017, two MLAs announced criminal cases and both faced serious charges.
In the 60-member assembly, the BJP has won 32 seats, while the Congress has won five seats. Seven National People’s Party (NPP) candidates have won, along with six Janata Dal (United) candidates. Three candidates are independents, two from the Cookie People’s Alliance and five from the Naga People’s Front.
By party, seven (22%) from BJP, four (80%) from Congress and one each from NPP and JD (U) have declared criminal cases in their affidavits. ۔
Five (16%) from the BJP, four (80%) from the Congress and one each from the NPP and JD (U) have announced serious criminal cases.
In 2017, more than 32, 48 (80%) newly elected MLAs are millionaires. In addition, Manipur has selected five (8%) women for the House, up from two in the last election.