52 Odisha MLAs have criminal cases against them

Bhubaneswar, December 13, 2017: Out of 147 MLAs whose
affidavits were analysed by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), at least
52 MLAs or 35 percent of the total MLAs had declared pending criminal cases
against themselves at the time of contesting in elections held in 2014. 

Out of these, 41 had declared serious criminal cases and
form or 28 percent of the total number of sitting MLAs.

Among the political parties, BJD has the maximum number of
MLAs with criminal cases (32) followed by Conrgess, with nine MLAs and BJP with
eight MLAs.

The status of Lok Sabha MPs from Odisha with declared
criminal cases against themselves was also analysed. Out of 21 MPs from Odisha
whose affidavits were analysed by ADR, three (14% of total MPs from Odisha)
have declared cases against themselves. But it is to be noted that one of the
Lok Sabha MP from BJD has declared serious criminal cases pending which forms
five of the total Lok Sabha MPS from Odisha. Two MPs from BJD and one from BJP
has declared criminal cases against themselves.

The Upper House of the Parliament or the Rajya Sabha too is
not immune from MPs from Odisha with declared criminal cases. Out of 10 Rajya
Sabha MPs from Odisha whose affidavits were analysed by ADR, two have declared
criminal cases. Thus, 20 percent of the total Rajya Sabha MPs from Odisha have
declared criminal cases against themselves. It is to be noted that none has
declared any serious criminal cases pending against themselves.