Karnataka's crorepati MLAs: Average assets up to Rs 34.59 cr, re-elected legislators' worth up by 90%

BJP legislators have the highest number of criminal cases against them

PTI photo

BANGALORE: The average assets of Karnataka legislators rose from Rs 10.05 crore in 2008 to Rs 34.59 crore in 2018, said report released by the Karnataka Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). Assets of re-elected MLAs have gone up by a whopping 90% between 2013 and 2018. Nearly 97 per cent, that is 215 newly-elected legislators, are crorepatis. 

This data was mined from the official affidavits of 221 out of 222 newly elected MLAs in the Karnataka 2018 Assembly Elections.

Criminal Background
A total of 77 MLAs or 35 per cent have declared criminal cases against themselves up from 34 per cent in 2013. While 54 legislators or 24 per cent have serious cases registered against them including cases related to attempt to murder, kidnapping etc. In 2013, just 39 or 17 per cent MLAs had declared serious criminal cases against themselves. Here are the details:

• 4 MLAs have declared cases related to attempt to murder (IPC Section 307).
• 6 MLAs have declared cases related to Hate Speech such as promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony (IPC Section-153A); deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs (IPC Section-295A) etc.

Party wise MLAs with criminal cases: 

• 42(41%) out of 103 MLAs from BJP
• 23 (30%) out of 78 MLAs from INC 
• 11 (30%)  out of 37 MLAs from JD(S)

Party wise MLAs with serious criminal cases:  

• 29(28%) out of 103 MLAs from BJP
• 17 (22%) out of 78 MLAs from INC 
• 8 (22%)  out of 37 MLAs from JD(S)

Party wise crorepati MLAs: 

Out of the 221 newly elected MLAs, 215 or 97% are crorepatis, up from 93 per cent last year. Here's a party-wise list of number of candidates with assets valued more than Rs 100 crore:

• 1 out of 103 MLAs analysed from BJP
• 11(14%) out of 78 MLAs from INC
• 3(8%)  out of 37 MLAs from JD(S)
• 1(100%)  MLA from Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janatha Party

Average assets

• The average assets per MLA in the Karnataka 2018 assembly elections is Rs. 34.59 crores. In 2013, the average assets of 218 MLAs analysed was Rs 23.54 crores. Congressman N Nagaraju (M.T.B) who won from Bangalore Rural's Hosakote constituency declared a total asset of Rs 1015 Crore. Congress' D K Shivakumar, who won from Kanakpura constituency, declared Rs 840 Crore in total assets. 

Education Details of MLAs

• Eighty (36%) MLAs have declared their educational qualification to be between 5th pass and 12th pass while 135 (61%) MLAs have declared having an educational qualification of graduate or above. There is 1 MLA who has declared himself as just literate while there is 1 MLA who has not given his educational qualification in his affidavit. 

Age details of MLAs

• Sixteen (7%) MLAs have declared their age to be between 25 and 40 years while 138 (62%) MLAs have declared their age to be between 41 and 60 years. There are 64(29%) MLAs who have declared their age to be between 61 to 80 years while 3 MLAs have declared their age to be above 80 years.

Gender details of MLAs

• Out of 221 MLAs, 7 (3%) MLAs are women. In 2013, out of 218 MLAs, 5 (2%) MLAs were women.

"One BJP MLA namely Mr. Harshvardhan B from Nanjangud constituency has not been analysed as his affidavit was poorly scanned. The elections in two constituencies namely Jayanagar and Rajarajeshwari Nagar have not been held," said the report.