Most Rajya Sabha MPS have assets of over ₹1 cr

ACCORDING TO THE AFFIDAVITS SUBMITTED BY THE MPS, 71 MEMBERS FACE CRIMINAL CHARGES, THE ADR REPORT SAID

NEW DELHI: A large majority of parliamentarians cutting across party lines in the Rajya Sabha have assets of at least ₹1 crore and nearly a third of them face criminal charges, a study by the Association for Democratic Reforms and National Election Watch has found after analysing publicly available documents.

As many as 71 MPS face criminal charges, according to the affidavits submitted by them, the study found, and 37 have declared serious criminal charges. To be sure, some of the criminal cases against politicians, across political lines, are politically motivated.

Two MPS face charges of murder and four MPS have charges of attempts to murder. Four other MPS have declared cases related to crime against women, the study revealed.

The non-profits looked at the financial, criminal and other background details of 226 members of the Rajya Sabha. One seat is vacant, affidavits of two were not available and four seats from Jammu and Kashmir were undefined, the non-partisan NGOS said.

Out of 71 MPS with declared criminal charges, 20 are from the BJP, 12 from Congress, three from the TMC, five from the RJD, four from the CPI(M), three from AAP, three from the YSRCP, and two from NCP.

The report also found that 197 RS MPS are worth at least ₹1 crore. The Congress has major share of crorepati MPS with 29 out of 31 (the party’s strength in the upper house). They have average assets of ₹50.09 crore. DMK has nine out of 10, TMC 10 out 13, and BJP 74 out of 85.