Lately, we all have witnessed the much controversial elections of Punjab that has given us a panel of new MLAs. But the interesting part is that over 80% of these MLAs are crorepatis with average assets of around 11.78 crores each. No wonder, this time, the panel of MLAs is quite regal.
A report by Punjab Election Watch (PEW) in association with ADR- Association of Democratic Reforms has exposed that 95 of 117 members of the assembly have possession of assets costing more than 1 crore.
Assets of MLAs 2017 VS MLAs 2012
This year, each elected legislator is said to possess an average assets of 11.78 crores and every candidate had possession of assets costing 3.49 crore each. On the other hand, elections 2012 revealed that the average asset of 117 MLAs were 10.10 crores- as said by the spokesperson for the ADR on Wednesday.
Talking about the women electorate, it has fallen down from 12% to 5% from the former elections. In 2012 elections, women managed to score around 14 seats whereas, elections 2017 has given only 6 women legislators, making it merely 5% of the total seats of the pool.
Punjab’s Pride- MLAs with major Backgrounds
All 15 Bhajpaa and Shiromani Akali Dal elected MLAs are crorepatis. The majority party Congress with their 87% MLAs has return to power, scoring 77 seats after a decade. Aam Aadmi Party however managed to score 40% of the seats in the club.
Akali Dal legislators as always scored high on possessing a major number of assets costing 14.54 crores each. The league has been trailed by Congress MLAs with an average possession of 12.43 crores each. On the latter hand is the AAP and BJP MLAs with Rs. 8.33 crores and 5.20 crores each.
It has been declared that 14% of the elected MLAs have criminal cases filed against them including offenses such as murder, attempt to murder, dacoit, robbery, and much more.
Unfolding Some More Information
• 56% of the elected MLAs fall between the age group of 51 to 60 whereas only 44% of the new legislators are between 25 and 50.
• Parkash Singh Badal, our former Chief Minister of Punjab was the oldest serving CM in the country aging 89 years old.
• Only 60% of the legislators in the new assembly are graduates whereas remaining members have studied only up to class 12.
With the new elected panel of royal ministry in Punjab, let’s see what difference we will have to witness in the next 5 years. We are keeping our fingers crossed.