Over 50% newly-elected Delhi MLAs have serious criminal cases: ADR analysis

Thirty-seven of the 70 newly-elected MLAs of Delhi have declared serious criminal cases against themselves which include an attempt to murder, and at least one related to rape, according to a study. An analysis of the declarations made by these MLAs reveals that 43 of them face criminal cases, of whom 37 have declared serious charges including those related to rape, attempt to murder and crime against women, as per a study by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), a non-government organisation working on electoral reforms.

Thirteen of the 37 MLAs have declared cases related to crimes against women. Of the 13, one has declared cases related to rape.

In the previous assembly, 24 MLAs had declared criminal cases against themselves.

The study also finds that 45 AAP MLAs and seven BJP MLAs have declared assets worth more than Rs 1 crore each.

Among major parties, the average assets per MLA for 62 AAP legislators is Rs 14.96 crores and eight BJP MLAs have average assets worth Rs 9.10 crore.

AAP MLA Dharampal Lakra, who has won from Mundka, has assets worth over Rs 292 crore and is the richest legislator in the new assembly.

He is followed by RK Puram MLA Pramila Tokas, who has total assets worth over Rs 80 crores followed by Patel Nagar MLA Raaj Kumar Anand who has assets worth Rs 78 crores.

At Rs 76,000, Mangolpuri MLA Rakhi Birla has declared the least amount of assets.

The average assets per MLA in the Delhi Assembly Elections 2020 is Rs 14.29 crore up from Rs 6.29 crores in 2015, the ADR report added.