Team News Riveting
Raipur, May 5
Of the 292 newly elected legislators in West Bengal, 142 (49 per cent) have declared criminal cases against themselves.
The increase of legislators in the state assembly with criminal background is about 12 per cent higher as compared to 2016 state elections in West Bengal. In the last assembly, 107 MLAs (37 per cent) of the total strength had declared criminal cases against themselves.
The West Bengal Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) had analysed the self-sworn affidavits of all 292 winning candidates in the West Bengal 2021 Assembly Elections. The Election Commission had adjourned polling for the Jangipur and Samserganj Assembly constituencies after the death of one candidate each from both constituencies.
The ADR report said that 113 or 39 per cent winning candidates had declared serious criminal cases including cases related to murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, crimes against women etc while 10 winning candidates have declared cases related to murder (IPC Section-302) against themselves. 30 winning candidates have declared cases of attempt to murder (IPC Section-307).
The 20 newly elected legislators have declared cases related to crimes against women. Of them, one has declared cases related to rape (IPC Section-376).
The party wise analysis of winning candidates with criminal cases revealed that 91 (43 per cent) out of 213 winning candidates from AITC, 50 (65 per cent) out of 77 winning candidates from BJP and 1 Independent. The 73 (34 per cent) out of 213 winning candidates from AITC and 39 (51 per cent) out of 77 winning candidates from BJP have serious criminal cases besides one Independent.
Out of the 292 winning candidates analysed, 158 (54 per cent) are crorepatis. The number is 20 per cent higher as compared to last elections as 100 (34 per cent) MLAs were crorepatis in the West Bengal assembly elections 2016. Of the crorepatis, 132 (62%) out of 213 are from AITC and 25 (33 per cent) out of 77 from BJP besides one Independent who had declared assets worth more than Rs 1 crore.
