The Election Rights Body, Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has published a report related to the current women MPs and MLAs in the country. According to ADR’s analysis, there are 17 women MPs and MLAs across the country, who have declared themselves billionaires, while 28 percent have registered criminal cases against them. 17 billionaire MPs and MLAs include six out of 75 women MPs of Lok Sabha, three out of 37 Rajya Sabha and eight out of 400 women MLAs from the state and union territories.
Currently, on the basis of the affidavits presented by 513 women MPs and MLAs from 513 women MPs and MLAs, the report states that 143 or 28 per cent have declared criminal cases against themselves. In this, 24 (32 per cent) out of 75 Lok Sabha women MPs, 10 of 37 Rajya Sabha women MPs and 109 out of 400 female MLAs (27 per cent) of 400 women MLAs (27 per cent) have declared criminal cases against them.
What is the situation in different states?
The report said that 78 women MPs (15 per cent) attempt to murder and even serious criminal cases like murder. In this, 14 (19 per cent) out of 75 Lok Sabha women MPs, 7 (19 per cent) out of 37 Rajya Sabha women MPs and 57 out of 400 female MLAs (all state assemblies/union territories) have declared serious criminal cases against themselves. In some states, the proportion of women MPs with criminal records is particularly higher.
According to the report, two of the three women MPs/MLAs from Goa (67 percent), 8 of the 12 women MPs/MLAs from Telangana, 14 of the 24 women MPs/MLAs from Andhra Pradesh, 14 of the 24 women MPs/MLAs from Andhra Pradesh, 7 of 14 women MPs/MLAs from Punjab, 7 (50 percent) from Kerala, 14 of women MPs/MLAs from Kerala and 7 out of 35 women MPs/MLAs from Bihar. (43 percent) has declared criminal cases against him in his affidavit.
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The report further states that out of 12 women MPs/MLAs of Telangana (42 per cent), 9 out of 24 women MPs/MLAs of Andhra Pradesh, 1 of 3 women MPs/MLAs of Goa, 1 (33 per cent) of 35 women MPs/MLAs of Bihar, 9 of the women’s MPs/MLAs of Meghalaya, 1 (25 per cent) of Meghalaya, 14 women MPs/MLAs Out of 3 (21 percent) and 3 of Kerala’s 14 women MPs/MLAs have declared serious criminal cases against them in their affidavits.
What does the report say based on political parties?
According to the party, BJP has the highest number of female MLAs (217) in total, out of which 23 percent have criminal cases and 11 percent are serious allegations. This ratio in the Congress is high, out of 83 female MLAs, 34 percent have criminal cases and 20 percent are serious allegations.
Out of 20 female MLAs of Telugu Desam Party (TDP), 65 percent have criminal cases and 45 percent have serious cases registered. Out of 13 female MLAs of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), 69 percent have criminal cases and 31 percent are serious allegations.
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The Association of Democratic Reforms and National Election Watch (NEW) said that according to the financial background, the total assets of all 512 women MPs and MLAs are ₹ 10,417 crore, out of which each MLA has average assets ₹ 20.34 crore.
Andhra Pradesh has the highest number of 24 richest female MLAs who have declared their average assets of Rs 74.22 crore.
The 18th Lok Sabha has women MPs from 22 states and union territories. Kerala is the only major state where there is no female MP. The percentage of winning of women candidates was higher than the mail candidates. Out of 800, 74 women candidates won the election (9.3 per cent), while 469 out of 7554 male candidates were elected (6.2 per cent).
West Bengal has the highest number of 11 women MPs, followed by 7 in Uttar Pradesh, 7 in Maharashtra and 6 in Madhya Pradesh.