Bengaluru: Karnataka, which is set to go for polls in May, has around 26 per cent MLAs with serious criminal charges against them, of which four have attempt to murder charges under IPC section 307. This has been revealed in a report released by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). A total of 35 per cent MLAs have declared criminal charges against themselves in their affidavits. BJP has the highest number of MLAs with both criminal and serious criminal charges.
Forty nine out of 112 MLAs from BJP, 16 out of 67 from Congress, nine out of 30 from Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)) and two out of four independent MLAs have declared criminal charges. Among the 26 MLAs who declared serious criminal charges against them included 35 from BJP, 13 from Congress and eight from JD(S). Overall, 42 per cent of the sitting MLAs of BJP have criminal charges and 30 percent serious criminal charges. In Congress, 24 per cent MLAs have criminal charges and 19 per cent serious criminal charges. Next, JD(S) has 30 per cent MLAs with criminal charges and 19 per cent with serious criminal charges. The ADR report further revealed that 73 (33 per cent) MLAs have declared educational qualification between class V and XII and 140 (64 per cent) are graduates or have higher qualifications. One MLA has declared himself as just literate.