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There are 57 members with criminal background, one with even charges of rape, and 134 crorepatis (74 per cent) in the newly-elected Gujarat assembly, according to a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms, a non-political group aiming at governmental and electoral reforms. Vicky Nanjappa reports.
The ADR report states that out of 182 MLAs analysed for the Gujarat assembly elections, 57 MLAs or 31 per cent have declared criminal cases against them.
In the 2007 assembly elections, 47 MLAs or 26 per cent MLAs had declared criminal cases against themselves.
MLAs with serious criminal cases:
Out of the 57 MLAs who have declared criminal cases against them, 24 MLAs have serious criminal cases against themselves.
MLAs with heinous and violent crimes cases:
The top three candidates from major parties who have declared serious criminal cases of murder, kidnapping and theft against them are: Vasava Chhotubhai Amarsinh of the Janata Dal-United from Jhagadia (ST) constituency who has declared nine charges related to dacoity, seven charges related to theft and three charges related to murder;
Amit Anil Chandra Shah (of the Bharatiya Janata Party from Naranpura constituency) has declared two charges related to murder and two charges related to kidnapping;
Chaudhary Shankarbhai Lagdhirbhai (of the BJP from Vav constituency) has declared three charges related to murder and three charges related to attempt to murder;
Jethabhai G Ahir (of the BJP from Shehra constituency) has declared one charge related to rape and one charge related to kidnapping, and
Barad Jashubhai Dhanabhai (of the Indian National Congress from Talala constituency) has declared one charge related to attempt to murder.
MLA with rape charges:
One MLA has declared charges of rape against himself. He is Jethabhai G Ahir of the BJP.
MLAs against whom charges have been framed:
Out of the 57 MLAs who have declared criminal cases against themselves, charges have been framed against 35 MLAs for various crimes.
Number of crorepati MLAs:
Meanwhile, a total of 134 out of 182 MLAs, i.e. 74 per cent, are crorepatis.
In 2007, there were 31 per cent crorepati MLAs.
The MLAs with maximum assets in 2012 Gujarat assembly are Balvantsinh Chandansinh Rajput of the INC from Sidhpur constituency who has declared the highest assets worth Rs 268 crore, followed by Rajguru Indranil Sanjaybhai of the INC from Rajkot East who has declared assets worth Rs 122 crore and Chavada Javaharbhai Pethalajibhai of the INC from Manavadar constituency with assets worth Rs 82.90 crore.
Three MLAs have declared assets of less than Rs 10 lakh.
MLAs with lowest assets:
Rameshbhai Bhurabhai Katara of the BJP from Fatepura (SC) constituency has declared the lowest assets worth Rs 6 lakh, Vakil Manisha Rajivbhai of the BJP from Vadodra City(SC) constituency has declared assets of Rs 7.12 lakh and Rathod Pravinbhai Jinabhai of the INC from Palitana constituency has declared assets worth Rs. 7.50 lakh.
MLAs with highest liabilities:
A total of 28 (15 per cent) MLAs out of 182 analysed declared liabilities of Rs 1 crore or above.
The top three MLAs who have declared the highest liabilities are Balvantsinh Chandansinh Rajput, of the INC from Sidhpur who has declared liabilities worth Rs 52.33 crore, followed by Rajguru Indranil Sanjaybhai of the INC from Rajkot east constituency with liabilities worth Rs. 27.14 crore and Manibhai J Vaghela an INC MLA from Vadgam (SC) constituency with liabilities worth Rs. 13.98 crore.
From the BJP, the highest liabilities have been declared by Patel Dineshbhai Balubhai from Padra constituency with liabilities worth Rs 11.53 crore.
Among major parties, the average asset per MLA for the INC is Rs 12.36 crore, for the BJP is Rs 5.82 crore, for the Nationalist Congress Party is Rs. 15.61 crore, for the JD-U is Rs 2.70 crore and for the Gujarat Parivartan Party is Rs 1.52 crore.
Five out of 182 MLAs have not declared their PAN details in the 2012 Gujarat assembly elections. In the 2007 assembly elections, 54 MLAs had not declared their PAN details.
MLAs who have declared highest income in Income Tax returns:
Solanki Hirabhai Odhavjibhai of the BJP from Rajula constituency has declared an income of Rs 3.41 crore, followed by Pabubha Virambha Manek of the BJP from Dwarka constituency with an income of Rs 3.25 crore and Vithalbhai Radadiya of the INC from Jetpur constituency with an income of 2.53 crore.
Out of 182 MLAs, 31 MLAs (17 per cent) have not filed ITR.
High assets, no ITR:
Among them, Kandhalbhai Sarmanbhai Jadeja of the NCP has the highest assets of approximately Rs 28.29 crore, followed by Vitthalbhai Hansrajbhai Radadia of the INC from Dhoraji constituency who has declared assets worth Rs 5.62 crore and Dilipkumar Virajibhai Radadia of BJP from the Charasma constituency who has declared assets worth Rs 4.73 crore.
Educational Background of MLAs:
45 per cent MLAs (82 of 182 analysed) have a graduate or a higher qualification in the Gujarat legislative assembly of 2012.
Women Representation:
Out of 182 newly elected MLAs in the Gujarat assembly elections, only 16 (9 cent) MLAs are women. In 2007 assembly elections also there were 16 (9 per cent) women MLAs.
Number of re-contesting MLAs who have been analysed for Gujarat 2012 assembly elections and whose complete affidavits were also available for 2007 assembly elections - 99
The average assets of these MLAs, as declared in 2007 is Rs 2,20,83,181(2.20 crore).
The average assets of these MLAs, as declared in 2012 is Rs 7,27,68,176 (7.27 crore).
The average growth in assets for these re-contesting MLAs is Rs 5,06,84,994 (Rs 5.06 crore).
The average percentage growth in assets for these re-contesting MLAs is 230 per cent.
The maximum growth in assets has been for Chavada Javaharbhai Pethalajibhai of the INC from Manvadar constituency with increase of Rs 64.57 crore, i.e from Rs 18.32 crore in 2007, to Rs. 82.90 crore in 2012.
Assets of Patel Dineshbhai Balubhai (of the BJP from Padra constituency) have increased by Rs 34.89 crore, from Rs 4.51 crore in 2007 to Rs 39.41 crore in 2012.
Assets of Aacharya Dr.Nimaben Bhavesbhai (of the BJP from Bhuj) have risen by Rs 32.27 crore, from Rs 2.37 crore in 2007 to Rs 34.64 crore in 2012.
Kavadiya Jayantibhai Ramjibhai, a BJP MLA from Dhrangadhra constituency has declared the highest percentage increase in assets of 5,525 per cent, from Rs 10.50 lakh in 2007 to Rs 5.91 crore in 2012.
Panada Vajesingbhai Parsingbhai an INC MLA from Dahod (ST) has shown a percentage increase in assets of 3784%, from Rs 4.40 lakh in 2007 to Rs 1.70 crore in 2012. Parmar Shailesh Manharbhai, an INC MLA from Danilimida (SC) has shown his assets go up by 2,944 per cent, from Rs 96.15 lakh in 2007 to Rs 29.26 crore in 2012.
Two MLAs have reported decrease in assets in 2012 compared with value of assets in 2007. They are Dalal Patel Saurabh Yashayantbhai (13 per cent reduction in assets, from Rs 65.29 crore in 2007 election to Rs 56.60 crore in 2012) of the BJP from Akota constituency, and Govindbhai Ukabhai Patel (4 per cent decrease in assets, from Rs 1.48 crore in 2007 to 1.43 crore in 2012).