Over 40 per cent of sitting MPs have criminal cases registered against them, out of which 25 per cent have declared serious criminal cases under charges of murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping and crimes against women, revealed a report by Association for Democratic Reforms.
The report also said that the average worth of assets per MP from the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha is ₹38.33 crores and 53 (7%) are billionaires.
The ADR report analysed the election affidavits of 763 sitting MPs out of 776 seats in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
Out of the 763 sitting MPs analysed, 306 (40%) sitting MPs have declared criminal cases against them and 194 (25%) sitting MPs have declared serious criminal cases including cases related to murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, crimes against women, etc, it said.
The report also emphasized certain specific findings. In Kerala, 23 out of 29 MPs (79 percent) had similar declarations, while in Bihar, 41 out of 56 MPs (73 percent) had criminal cases registered against them. Maharashtra had 37 out of 65 MPs (57 percent) with such declarations, Telangana had 13 out of 24 MPs (54 percent), and Delhi had 5 out of 10 MPs (50 percent) with criminal cases disclosed on their affidavits.
When it comes to criminal cases, about 139 (36 per cent) out of 385 MPs from BJP, 43 (53%) out of 81 MPs from Congress, 14 (39%) out of 36 MPs from TMC, 5 (83%) out of 6 MPs from RJD, 6 (75%) out of 8 MPs from CPI(M), 3 (27%) out of 11 MPs from AAP, 13 (42%) out of 31 MPs from YSRCP and 3 (38%) out of 8 MPs from NCP have declared such cases against themselves.
As for serious criminal cases, about 98 (25%) out of 385 MPs from BJP, 26 (32%) out of 81 MPs from Congress, 7 (19%) out of 36 MPs from TMC, 3 (50%) out of 6 MPs from RJD, 2 (25%) out of 8 MPs from CPI(M), 1 (9%) out of 11 MPs from AAP, 11 (35%) out of 31 MPs from YSRCP and 2 (25%) out of 8 MPs from NCP are facing such cases.
Eleven sitting MPs have declared cases related to murder (Indian Penal Code Section-302), 32 sitting MPs have declared cases of attempt to murder (IPC Section-307), while 21 sitting MPs have declared cases related to crimes against women. Out of these 21 MPs, four MPs have declared cases related to rape (IPC Section-376).
The report also found that the average worth of assets of each MP from both the houses is Rs 38.33 crore. In comparison, legislators who have declared criminal cases against them have average assets amounting to Rs 50.03 crore.
The 53 billionaire MPs include seven from Telangana, nine from Andhra Pradesh, two from Delhi, four from Punjab,one from Uttarakhand, six from Maharashtra and three from Karnataka.
In terms of parties of billionaire MPs, fourteen MPs from the BJP, seven each from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi and YSR Congress Party, six from the Congress, three from the Aam Aadmi Party, two from the Shiromani Akali Dal and one from the Trinamool Congress have declared assets worth more than Rs 100 crore.