15 MLAs of Assam Assembly named in ADR Assam Election Watch as having criminal cases

GUWAHATI: At least 15 sitting MLAs and ministers of Assam Assembly have been named in Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) Assam Election Watch analysis as having criminal cases against them.

The latest analysis, published today, says some 13 per cent of 119 MLAs in the current Assembly have declared criminal cases against themselves.

Out of the 15 MLAs, at least 11 were accused of grievous offenses such as murder, cheating, rioting, conspiracy and even theft. At least three MLAs have murder cases pending against them.

The MLAs named in the analysis also include minister Naba Kumar Doley, MLAs Bhubon Pegu, Shiladitya Dev and others.

BJP MLA Mansing Rongpi was not analyzed due to an unclear affidavit on the Election Commission of India (ECI) website. The analysis is based on the affidavits submitted by the candidates ahead of the 2016 Assembly elections and bye-elections.

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 “Out of 59 MLAs from BJP, seven (12%) MLAs have criminal cases pending against them. Similarly, out of 20 MLAs from Congress, five (25%) and out of 14 MLAs from All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), two (14%) MLAs have criminal cases against them. One independent MLA in the House has declared criminal case against him,” the analysis says.

The ADR analysis also says the trend of Assam MLAs with criminal cases has gone up constantly since 2006.

“The Assam Assembly, elected in 2006 had seven MLAs with a criminal record which increased by two fold to 15 MLAs in the Assembly formed in the year 2016. Similarly, MLAs with serious criminal cases increased to 10 in 2016 from five in 2006,” the analysis added.