Voters beware, 33% of MLAs face criminal charges, says ADR

A majority of the MLAs, elected in 2013, and the candidates for the upcoming election from various political parties are facing criminal charges.

During an interaction with journalists, organised by Development Initiatives for Sustainable Human Advancement (DISHA) and Mysuru District Journalist Association (MDJA), here, Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) state co-ordinator Dr R Balasubramaniam said that ahead of the Assembly elections, Karnataka Election Watch and ADR have analysed the affidavits of 207, out of 224 MLAs. Out of the 207 MLAs analysed, 68 (33%) had declared criminal cases against themselves and 35 (17%) MLAs had declared of serious criminal cases against themselves in the affidavit submitted to the Election Commission.

While 36 out of 114 MLAs elected from the Indian National Congress (INC), 13 out of 40 MLAs from the BJP, 11 out of 35 MLAs from the JD(S), one of the four MLAs from the Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP), one of the three MLAs from Badavara Shramikara Raitara Congress (BSRC), lone MLA of the KMP, four out of nine independent MLAs and lone Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA had declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits, he said.

Similarly, 17 MLAs of the Congress, eight of BJP, five of JD(S) and one each from SP, KMP and three independent MLAs had declared serious criminal cases, including cases related to attempt to murder, dacoity and kidnapping, informed Balasubramaniam. He informed that out of the 207 MLAs, 93% or 193, were crorepatis.

BJP

Dr Balasubramaniam said, "Out of 72 candidates announced by the BJP to contest in the 2018 election, 57 are the ones who had contested in 2013. Out of 57, 19 have faced criminal charges, 13 serious criminal charges and 51 candidates are crorepatis."

He said, "The ADR will analyse the details of all the candidates of all political parties and the latest information regarding assets as well as criminal charges, if any, would be available once the candidates file their affidavits for the elections."

MRSeetharam of DISHA Foundation, said that DISHA and ADR, with the support of Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) has been conducting awareness drive among the voters.

"We have started the campaign in 20 constituencies in Mysuru, Hassan and Kodagu districts with the goal to increase the percentage of voting and to facilitate the election of appropriate candidates, who will contribute for the nation's development," he said. The awareness programmes include rallies, door to door campaigning, provision of voter's ID cards and a taking out of a Jagruthi Ratha - a van spreading the importance about voting and voting honestly.