Almost half of Maharashtra MLAs have criminal background: ADR

NEW DELHI: Almost half the members of the Maharashtra assembly and 17% in Haryana have criminal cases pending against them. Not just muscle power but money power also appears to be aplenty. About 198 or 70% of Maharashtra MLAs are crorepatis while 66 or 75% of the 88 Haryana MLAs are crorepatis. Both the states go to polls next month.

The analysis by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) is based on information provided by candidates in affidavits submitted to the Election Commission in 2009. About 148 (52%) out of the 284 MLAs in Maharashtra have declared criminal cases against themselves. Of these 94 have serious criminal cases which include murder, attempt to murder, dacoity, kidnapping and extortion among others.

For instance Gilbert Mendonca of NCP from Mira Bhayandar, Vivek Raghunath Pandit Alias Bhau, an independent MLA from Vasai constituency and Chavan Vasantrao Balwantrao, an Independent MLA from Naigaon constituency, had declared cases of murder in their affidavits. While 11 MLAs have attempt to murder cases pending, 12 legislators have cases of robbery and dacoity against them and 6 are charged with the kidnapping.

Haryana has a relatively cleaner set of legislators. About 15 (17%) out of the 88 MLAs analyzed have criminal cases pending against them. Of the 15 MLAs, 13 are charged serious criminal cases. These include forgery, extortion among others. The hall of shame includes former Haryana CM OM Prakash Chautala and his son Ajay Singh Chautala who are currently on bail in a teacher recruitment-scam case.

While Haryana's legislators boasted of an average asset of Rs 7.11 crore, Maharashtra MLAs had average of Rs 4.5 crore as wealth.

In Haryana the legislators with the highest assets were Congress's Venod Sharma from Ambala city with Rs 87 crore, IND's Gopal Kanda with Rs 63 crore and HJC (Bishnoi)'s Renuka Bishnoi with Rs 47 crore in assets.