Delhi MLAs’ criminal and financial background: 25% AAP candidates, 20% of BJP named in criminal cases 

As the Delhi elections came to an end with the results declaring AAP as a big winner registering victory for the third time in a row from the National capital, a review of the background of the MLAs of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the self-proclaimed nationalist party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) brings to light some revealing facts.

The Delhi Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has analysed the self-sworn affidavits of all 70 newly-elected MLAs in the Delhi 2020 Assembly Elections. It showed an increase in the number of criminal cases on MLAs in 2020 as compared to 2015.

Here are the data which were given by the MLAs in the affidavits submitted during the Delhi Elections:-

MLAs with criminal cases: Out of the 70 MLAs analysed in 2020, 43(61%) MLAs have declared criminal cases against themselves.

Out of 70 MLAs analysed during Delhi Assembly elections in 2015, 24(34%) MLAs had declared criminal cases against themselves.

MLAs with serious criminal cases: 37 (53%) MLAs have declared serious criminal cases including cases related to rape, attempt to murder, crimes against women etc.

Criteria for serious criminal cases were-

1. The crime on which the maximum punishment is of 5 years or more.

2. A non-bailable offence

3. If it is an electoral offence (for eg. IPC 171E or bribery)

4. Offence related to loss to the exchequer

5. Crimes related to assault, murder, kidnap, rape-related

6. Offences that are mentioned in the Representation of the People Act (Section 8)

7. Offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act

8. Crimes against women.

MLAs with declared convicted cases: There are 9 MLAs who have declared convicted cases against themselves.

MLAs with cases related to Attempt to Murder: 1 MLA has declared case of attempt to murder (IPC Section-307).

MLAs with cases related to Crimes against Women: 13 MLAs have declared cases related to crimes against women. Out of these 13 MLAs, 1 MLA has declared cases related to rape (IPC Section-376).

Here are party wise MLAs with Criminal Cases:

-In AAP, 38 (61%) out of 62 MLAs with criminal cases.

-In BJP, 5(63%) out of 8 MLAs have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.

Party wise MLAs with Serious Criminal Cases:

-33 (53%) out of 62 MLAs from AAP

-4(50%) out of 8 MLAs from the BJP have declared serious criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.

Now have a look on the Financial background of the Delhi MLAs:-

Crorepati MLAs: Out of the 70 MLAs analysed, 52 (74%) are crorepatis who contested in the Delhi assembly election 2020.

Previously, out of 70 MLAs analysed during Delhi 2015 assembly elections, 44 (63%) MLAs were crorepatis.

Party-wise crorepati MLAs:

-In AAP, there are 45 (73%) out of 62 MLAs who come under crorepati criteria.

-In BJP, out of 8 MLAs, there are 7 (88%) MLAs who have declared assets worth more than ₹1 crore.

And, if we look at party wise average assets of MLAs from major parties:

The average assets per MLAs for 62 AAP MLAs is ₹14.96 crores

Whereas in BJP, 8 MLAs have average assets worth ₹9.10 Crores.

There are 19(27%) MLAs who have declared liabilities of ₹50 lacs and above, 3 MLAs who have declared highest income in their Income Tax Returns and all of them are from the incumbent party, AAP.

On the other hand, the 2020 has seen a rise in women MLA as compared to 2015 elections. Out of 70 MLAs, 8 (11%) MLAs are women. In 2015, out of 70 MLAs, 6 (9%) MLAs were women.

The number of re-elected MLAs:

This is also noticed that the number of re-elected MLAs analysed in the Delhi assembly elections of 2020 are 45 MLAs and all of the re-elected MLAs in 2020 have more average assets than in the 2015 elections.

In 2020, it is ₹8.93 crores against 2015’s which was ₹7.93 crores.

This shows a 13% average growth that is, of ₹1 crore in assets of the re-elected MLAs from 2015 to 2020.