At least 49 of the MLAs elected to the 40-member Goa, 60-member Manipur and 70-member Uttarakhand assemblies face criminal charges, reports from the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) suggest. Of them, 34 face serious cases.

In 2017, 33 candidates had criminal cases, while 22 of these assemblies faced serious charges.

Of the 170 MLAs elected to these assemblies, 145 (85%) are Crorepatis, the reports suggested. In 2017, 123 MLAs from all three states were crorepatis.

UTTARAKHAND ASSEMBLY

Of the 70 winning candidates, 19 (27%) have declared criminal cases in their affidavits, including 10 (14%) with serious criminal charges. In 2017, 22 (31%) MLAs had declared criminal cases, while 14 (20%) had declared serious criminal cases.

The BJP gained a clear mandate in the state by winning 47 seats, while the Congress won 19 seats. Two candidates are independents, while two are from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

As for the parties, eight from the BJP and Congress have declared criminal cases in their affidavits. A BSP MLA is facing criminal charges, while the two independent MLAs are also on the list. Additionally, five (11%) from the BJP, four (21%) from Congress and one of the independent winners face serious criminal prosecution.

A total of 58 (83%) MLAs are crorepatis, up from 51 in 2017. Of the 70 winning candidates, eight (11%) are women. In 2017, of the 70 MLAs, 5 (7%) were women.

GOA ASSEMBLY

Goa Election Watch and ADR have analyzed the affidavits of the 40 winning candidates. Of these, 16 (40%) have declared criminal cases. In 2017, this number was nine (23%). Additionally, 13 (33%) of the 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 the MGP and an equal number from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Three are independent and one is from the Goa Forward Party and the RevolutionFGN Goans Party.

“Two winning candidates have declared cases related to crimes against women, including one, who has declared cases related to rape (IPC Section 376),” said one of the reports.

As for political parties, seven each from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress, while one each from the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and the Goa Forward Party have declared criminal cases in their affidavits. Six from BJP and Congress while one from Maharashtrawadi Gomantak have declared serious criminal cases.

“Of the 40 winning candidates analyzed, 39 (98%) are crorepatis,” the report said, adding that in 2017, all MLAs were crorepatis.

In addition, this time three women are elected to the house, one more than the previous assembly.

MANIPULATOR ASSEMBLY

Of the 60 winning candidates, 14 (23%) have declared criminal cases in their affidavits, including 11 (18%) facing serious criminal cases. In 2017, two MLAs had declared criminal cases and both were facing serious charges.

In the 60-member assembly, the BJP won 32 seats, while the Congress won five seats. Seven candidates from the National People’s Party (PNP) have won, along with six from the Janata Dal (United). Three candidates are independent, while two are from the Kuki People’s Alliance and five from the Naga People’s Front.

In terms of party, seven (22%) from BJP, four (80%) from Congress and one from PNP and one from JD(U) and one independent candidate have declared criminal cases in their affidavits.

Five (16%) from BJP, four (80%) from Congress and one from NPP and one from JD(U) have declared serious criminal cases.

Compared to 32 in 2017, 48 (80%) newly elected MLAs are crorepatis. Additionally, Manipur has elected five (8%) women to the chamber, up from two in the last election.