While Bihar might have sprung up surprise by defeating Narendra Modi, most influential head of the government on earth after Barak Obama, the election result also reminds one a disturbing trend of people with criminal history entering portals power. Out of the total strength 243, an alarming 58 per cent of MLAs have criminal anticedents. Accoring to an analysis done by National Election Watch, highly respectec watchdog organization of intellectual from across India, 142 members fall in the category of MLAs who have cases of various types booked against them.Take heart, the number at least had not gone up in 2015. Because in the previous election held in 2010, 57 per cent of elected MLAs (130) were of this category. The increase is too marginal, given the size of the state. the following is the break of crimes mentioned in the affidavits filed by the MLAs. And, RJD tops the list with major share of MLAs with police cases followed by JD(U), BJP and INC.
Party wise MLAs with criminal cases: 46 (58%) out of 80 MLAs from RJD, 37 (52%) out of 71 MLAs from JD(U), 34 (64%) out of 53 MLAs from BJP, 16 (59%) out of 27 MLAs from INC, 3 (100%) out of3 CPI(ML)(L) MLAs, 1 (50%) out of 2 MLAs of Rashtriya Lok Samta Party, 2 (100%) out of 2 MLAs fromLJP have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.
Party wise MLAs with serious criminal cases: 34 (43%) out of 80 MLAs from RJD, 28 (39%) out of 71 MLAs from JD(U), 19 (36%) out of 53 MLAs from BJP, 11 (41%) out of 27 MLAs from INC, 2 (67%)out of 3 CPI(ML)(L) MLAs, 1 (50%) out of 2 MLAs of Rashtriya Lok Samta Party, 1 (50%) out of 2 MLAs from LJP have declared serious criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.
*MLAs with serious criminal cases: 98 (40%) MLAs have declared serious criminal cases including cases related to murder, attempt to murder, communal disharmony, kidnapping, crimes against women etc. Out of 228 MLAs analysed during Bihar Assembly elections in 2010, 76 (33%) MLAs haddeclared serious criminal cases against themselves.
*MLAs with criminal cases where charges have been framed: Out of the 142 MLAs who have declared pending criminal cases against themselves, 70 (49%) have declared that the charges for these cases have already been framed by the court of law.
*MLAs with cases related to murder and attempt to murder: 11 MLAs have declared cases related to murder. Out of the total 11, 4 MLAs are from Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), 2 from Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (Liberation) (CPI (ML) (L)), 2 MLAs of Janata Dal United (JD(U)), and 1each of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Lok Jan Shakti Party (LJP) along with 1 Independent declared cases related to murder in their respective affidavits . 29 MLAs have declared cases related to attempt to murder. 7 MLAs of RJD, 2 of (CPI (ML) (L)), 11 MLAs of (JD(U)), 4 MLAs from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), 1 of Lok Jan Shakti Party (LJP), 2 MLAs of Indian National Congress (INC) along with 2 Independent MLAs declared cases related to murder against themselves.
*MLAs with cases related to crimes against women: 3 MLAs have declared cases related to crimes against women with 1 offence related to assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty (IPC Section-354) and 1 charge related to causing miscarriage without woman’s consent (IPC Section-313). Gulab Yadav, RJD MLA from Jhanjharpur constituency has declared 1 case related to rape (IPC Section- 376) against himself.
*MLAs with cases related to causing communal disharmony: 4 MLAs have declared cases related to promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony (IPC Section-153A). While Dr. Sunil Kumar, BJP MLA from Biharsharif constituency has declared 2 charges related to IPC Section-153A against himself, 3 other MLAs have declared 1 charge each under the stated section of the IPC.
*MLAs with cases related to kidnapping: 10 MLAs have declared cases related to kidnapping.Anant Kumar Singh, an Independent MLA from Mokama constituency has declared 2 charges related to kidnapping or abducting in order to murder (IPC Section-364) against himself.
