Bhopal: More than half of the Rajya Sabha members are crorepatis (millionaires) and 17 per cent face criminal charges according to their own declarations in their affidavits, says National Election Watch (New), an organisation working for electoral reforms.

In addition, only nine per cent of the MPs in the upper house are women, New said, arguing that this raised serious questions about political parties claims that they want to field candidates who represent the common man.

"The analysis done by the organisation on the background of Rajya Sabha MPs is based on the analysis of assets and liabilities detailed in their affidavits at the time of their election," New's national co-ordinator Anil Bairwal said.

Bairwal said that of the 183 Rajya Sabha MPs, 98 (54 per cent) were crorepatis as at March 31, 2009. In the current Lok Sabha, meanwhile, 315 out of 543 MPs (58 per cent) were crorepatis.