Around 40 per cent of the 35 newly elected MLCs in Uttar Pradesh have declared criminal cases against themselves, poll rights body Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) said.

The Uttar Pradesh Election Watch and the ADR have analysed self-sworn affidavits of 35 out of the 36 new MLCs.

The affidavit of Jansatta Dal (Loktantrik) MLC Akshay Pratap Singh was not analysed due to the unavailability of a complete and properly scanned document on the website of the election office while making the report, it said.

According to the report, nine (26 per cent) MLCs, all from the BJP, have declared serious criminal cases, including cases related to murder and attempt to murder etc.

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

Thirteen (39 per cent) out of 33 MLCs from the BJP and an independent MLC have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits, the report said.

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

The average of assets of the MLCs is Rs 17.39 crores, it added.

The BJP swept the biennial polls to the state’s legislative council by winning 24 out of 27 constituencies where polling took place on April 9. The party was earlier elected unopposed in nine seats, taking its total to 33 out of the 36 constituencies. PTI UZM IJT