While all the 24 newly elected MLCs from urban local body and panchayati raj institution (PRI) constituencies have the enviable record of being crorepatis (worth more than rupees one crore), as many as 15 (63%) of them have one or the other criminal case instituted against them, a report of the Association for Democratic Rights (ADR) put in public domain on Thursday said.

Further, the average asset of the MLCs is worth Rs 75.63 crore, and the BJP MLCs take the cake with their average asset in the range of Rs 49.86 crore. Incidentally, the average asset of the four Independent MLCs is in the range of Rs 282.88 crore.

The 24 newly elected MLCs included seven of the BJP, six of the RJD, five of JD(U), one each of the Congress, and four Independent MLCs. The average asset of other parties is JD(U) Rs 26.80 crore and RJD Rs 23.50 crore.

As to the educational background of the 24 MLCs, nine (or 38%) have declared themselves in their personal affidavits submitted to the Election Commission as passed the levels from 8th to 12th standard, while 14 (58%) are either graduates or post-graduates. One of them has declared himself as being simply illiterate.

However, among the 15 MLCs who have declared criminal cases against them, 11 carry serious criminal charges related to murder, theft and bribery. On the other hand, one MLC carries the charge of murder and four others attempt to murder.

The party wise position of the MLCs carrying criminal cases is BJP (4), RJD (5) and JD(U) (3). In terms of serious criminal cases, the party wise position is BJP, JD(U) and RJD three each.