40% of newly elected Rajya Sabha MPs have criminal cases: Report

Of 57 newly elected Rajya Sabha members, 23 (almost 40 per cent) have declared criminal cases against them in their poll affidavits with nine of these MPs coming from the BJP and four Congress, according to a report released by ADR-National Election Watch on Thursday. Six of these Rajya Sabha MPs have been elected from Uttar Pradesh, four each from Maharashtra and Bihar, three Tamil Nadu, two Telangana and one each from Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Haryana, the report said.

The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch said the report was based on the analysis of self-sworn affidavits of all 57 MPs who were elected to Rajya Sabha this month. "Out of the 57 MPs analysed, 23 MPs have declared criminal cases against themselves," the report said.

According to a party-wise break up given by the report, nine out of 22 newly elected Rajya Sabha MPs of the BJP have criminal cases against them. Out of nine newly elected MPs of the Congress, four have declared criminal cases against them in their poll affidavits. The report said both of the newly elected TRS MPs as well as two members elected to Rajya Sabha from RJD have declared criminal cases against them

"One MP each from YSRCP, DMK, AIADMK, SP, SHS (Shiv Sena) and an Independent have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits," the report said. A total of 12 MPs have declared "serious criminal cases".