Lok Sabha Elections 2019: Analysis of Criminal Background, Financial, Education, Gender and other details of Winners

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, 233 (43 per cent) of the 539 winners whose records were examined by ADR had criminal cases against them. In the 2014 LS elections, 185 (34 per cent) of the 542 winners analysed by ADR had criminal cases against them, while in the 2009 LS elections, 162 (30 per cent) of the 543 winners analysed had criminal cases.

Since 2009, there has been a 44 per cent increase in the number of Members of Parliament (MPs) with criminal cases against them.

In 2019, 159 (29 per cent) of the 539 winners analysed by ADR have serious criminal cases (related to rape, murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, crimes against women and so on) against them. In 2014, 112 (21 per cent) of the 542 winners analysed had serious criminal cases against them, while in 2009, the number was 76 (14 per cent) out of the 543 winners analysed.

Since 2009, there has been a 109 per cent increase in the number of MPs with serious criminal cases.

In the 2019 elections, 30 winners have cases of attempt to murder against them, while 11 winners have murder cases registered against them and 19 winners have cases related to crimes against women.

In 2019, 116 (39 per cent) of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s 301 winners have criminal cases against them and 87 (29 per cent) of these 301 winners have serious criminal cases against them. Of the Indian National Congress’ 51 winners, 29 (57 per cent) have criminal cases against them and 19 (37 per cent) of the 51 winners have serious criminal cases against them.

Based on election results, a candidate with a criminal record had a 15.5 per cent chance of winning the 2019 LS elections, whereas a candidate with a clean record had a 4.7 per cent chance of winning.

475 (88 per cent) of the 539 winners of the 2019 elections are crorepatis, that is, they have assets worth more than Rs. 1 crore. Of the 542 winners of the 2014 elections, 443 (82 per cent) were crorepatis. For the 2009 elections, 315 (58 per cent) of the 543 winners had assets more than Rs. 1 crore.

In 2019, 265 (88 per cent) of the BJP’s 301 winners are crorepatis, while 43 (84 per cent) of the INC’s 51 winners have assets more than Rs. 1 crore.

Based on election results, a crorepati candidate’s chance of winning in the 2019 elections was 21 per cent, while the chances of winning for a candidate whose assets are less than Rs. 1 crore were 1 per cent.

The average value of the assets of a winner in the 2019 elections is Rs. 20.93 crores. A winner from the BJP had assets with an average value of Rs. 14.52 crores, while a winner from the INC has assets with an average value of Rs. 38.71 crores.

Between 2014 and 2019, the average growth in the value of assets of 225 re-elected MPs was Rs. 4.97 crores or 29 per cent. In 2019, these re-elected MPs owned, on average, assets worth Rs. 21.94 crores.

Of the 539 winners in 2019, 135 are postgraduates, 133 are graduates, 100 are ‘graduate professionals’, 69 have passed Class 12, 43 have passed Class 10, 24 have doctorates, 12 have passed Class 8, 4 have passed Class 5, 1 is literate, 1 is illiterate, and 17 have ‘other’ educational qualifications.

In 2019, 77 (14 per cent) of the 539 winners are women, while 462 are men. In 2014, 62 (11 per cent) of the 542 winners were women and in 2009, the number of female winners was 59 (11 per cent) of the total of 543.

In 2019, 194 (36 per cent) winners are between the ages 25 and 50, while 343 (64 per cent) winners are between 51 and 80. Only nine winners belong to the 25-30 age group and two are over 80.

Focus and Factoids by Ankitha Rao.