70% of MLAs in Bihar’s new assembly face criminal cases

A total of 163 (68 percent) out of the 241 winners in the Bihar Assembly polls have declared criminal cases against themselves in the poll affidavits, which is 10 per cent more than the ratio in the outgoing assembly.

A total of 163 (68 per cent) out of the 241 winners in the Bihar Assembly polls have declared criminal cases against themselves in the poll affidavits, with RJD topping the list with around 73 per cent.

According to data analysed by non-partisan NGO Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), about 68 per cent of MLAs — 163 in all — stand accused of criminal acts, which is 10 percent more than the ratio in the outgoing assembly. In the 2015 Assembly elections, 142 (58 percent) MLAs had self-declared such cases against them in their affidavits.

The ADR has analysed 241 of the 243 MLAs because the affidavits submitted by two of them to the Election Commission are unclear.

Of the 163 MLAs with criminal charges, 123, or half the total MLAs, have been booked for serious offenses. Out of the 123 winners, 19 have been charged for murder under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code, while 31 MLAs are accused of attempt to murder, and eight have cases against them relating to crime against women.

Besides, the number of MLAs with property worth over Rs 1 crore has also gone up in the new assembly — there are now 194 crorepati MLAs compared to 162 in the outgoing assembly. This means that 81 per cent of MLAs are crorepatis, up from the earlier 67 per cent.