About 40 percent of the 35 newly elected MLCs in Uttar Pradesh they have declared criminal cases against themselves, said the electoral rights body Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). The Uttar Pradesh Election Watch and the ADR have analyzed the affidavits of 35 of the 36 new MLCs.

The affidavit of Jansatta Dal (Loktantric) MLC Akshay Pratap Singh was not scrutinized due to the unavailability of a full and properly scanned document on the election office’s website while the report was being made, he said.

According to the report, nine (26 percent) MLCs, all from bjpthey have declared serious criminal cases, including cases related to murder and attempted murder, etc.

He said that three MLCs have declared cases related to murder (IPC section 302) against themselves and four have declared cases of attempted murder (IPC section 307).

Thirteen (39 percent) of the BJP’s 33 MLCs and one independent MLC have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits, according to the report.

Of the 35 newly elected MLCs, 33 (94 percent) are crorepatis. Thirty-one (94 per cent) BJP MLCs and two independent MLCs have declared assets worth more than Rs 1 crore, the ADR said.

The average assets of MLCs are Rs 17.39 crore, it added.

The BJP swept the biennial state legislative council elections, winning 24 of the 27 constituencies where elections were held on April 9. The party was previously unopposed in nine seats, bringing its total to 33 of 36 constituencies.