Haryana Assembly Election 2024: 96% MLAs Are Crorepatis, 13% Face Criminal Charges, Reports ADR

In the newly-elected 90-member Haryana Assembly, 96% of MLAs (86 out of 90) are crorepatis, while 13% (12 MLAs) face criminal charges, according to an analysis by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). The study of affidavits from all winning candidates reveals a slight increase in the proportion of wealthy MLAs, rising from 93% in the 2019 Assembly elections to 96% this year.

Among the 90 MLAs in the Haryana Assembly, 44% have assets exceeding Rs 10 crore, while only 2.2% possess assets below Rs 20 lakh, according to the data. The average assets of winning candidates have significantly increased to Rs 24.97 crore, up from Rs 18.29 crore in 2019.

Party-wise analysis reveals that 96% of BJP legislators, 95% of Congress MLAs, and 100% of both INLD and Independent winners have declared assets over Rs 1 crore. Independent MLA from Hisar, Savitri Jindal, leads with assets totaling over Rs 270 crore, followed by BJP's Shakti Rani Sharma and Shruti Choudhry, with assets of Rs 145 crore and Rs 134 crore, respectively.

A total of 30 MLAs have been re-elected in 2024, with their average assets increasing by 59% since 2019, rising from Rs 9.08 crore to Rs 14.46 crore, indicating significant financial gains over the past five years.

The data reveals that among the winning candidates, 12 have disclosed criminal records, including six facing serious charges, with one individual accused of attempted murder. In 2019, seven candidates had serious criminal cases against them. Party-wise, 19% of Congress MLAs, 6% of BJP legislators, and 67% of Independent winners reported criminal cases.

Additionally, the analysis shows that 28 winning candidates have liabilities of Rs 1 crore or more, with Congress MLA Rajbir Fartia from Loharu leading the list at Rs 44 crore. Fartia is also the highest income earner, declaring an income of Rs 10.75 crore in his Income Tax Return for the 2023-24 financial year.