40 % Newly-elected RS members faces criminal charges, including murder & crime against women

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• Jun 17, 2022 | Dhupali Das

The study claims that 53 (93%) of the newly-elected Rajya Sabha members are millionaires.

Digital Desk: A survey of the newly-elected Rajya Sabha members conducted on Thursday by the National Election Watch and the Association for Democratic Rights (ADR) stated that 40% of newly-elected MPs have registered criminal cases, while 12% have severe criminal cases pending against them. 

The survey report was made based on the affidavits presented by the different candidates who contested in the recent Rajya Sabha polls to fill the vacant seats from various states in the Upper House, according to a joint statement released by the National Election Watch and ADR.

"Of the 57 MPs evaluated, 23 (40%) have stated criminal charges against them, while 12 (21%) have severe criminal cases lodged against their names, including murder, attempted murder, theft, and other crimes" according to the joint survey report.

Reports stated that the one newly-elected Rajya Sabha member has a murder case pending against him, and another one has declared a case of an attempt to murder against his name. There has been a charge filed against the name of a newly-elected MP for crimes against women.

Moreover, the joint survey report breaks down newly-elected Rajya Sabha members with criminal cases by party and state.

As per the report, criminal cases have been filed against nine out of 22 BJP MPs, four out of nine Congress MPs, two TRS and RJD MPs, and one each from YSRCP, DMK, AIADMK, Samajwadi Party, SHS, and an Independent member.

Six out of 11 Uttar Pradesh MPs, four out of six Maharashtra MPs, three out of six Tamil Nadu MPs, four out of five Bihar MPs, both Telangana MPs, one out of four Andhra Pradesh MPs, one out of two Chhattisgarh MPs, one out of four Rajasthan MPs, and one out of two Haryana MPs have declared criminal cases against them.

The study claims that 53 (93%) of the newly-elected Rajya Sabha members are millionaires. TRS' Bandi Partha Saradhi, with total assets of Rs 5,300 crore, Independent Kapil Sibal, with total assets of Rs 608 crore, and AAP's Vikramjit Singh from Punjab, with total assets of Rs 498 crore, are the top three wealthiest candidates. 

The newly-elected have an average asset value of Rs 154.27 crore.

Moreover, the party-wise 19 out of 22 BJP MPs, all nine Congress MPs, all four YSRCP MPs, all three DMK MPs, both TRS, AIADMK, RJD and Independent members, one out of two AAP MPs, and one MP each from RLD, NCP, JMM, SP, SHS, and JD(U) have reported assets worth more than Rs 1 crore.