A new report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has presented the financial profile of Rajya Sabha members. It shows a wide difference in wealth among MPs and also highlights that many lawmakers are facing criminal cases. The analysis is based on the affidavits of 226 out of 233 members of the Upper House.
The combined declared assets of these 226 MPs stand at Rs 26,047 crore. On average, each member holds assets worth over Rs 115 crore, with high-net-worth individuals forming a large part of the House. The report also shows that 31 MPs (14 percent of the total analysed) are billionaires with assets exceeding Rs 100 crore.
At the other end of the scale, only four MPs have declared assets below Rs 20 lakh. This shows that most members hold high levels of wealth. Around 100 MPs fall in the category of assets above Rs 10 crore, while 41 MPs have between Rs 5 crore and Rs 10 crore. Another 66 MPs fall in the Rs 1 crore to Rs 5 crore bracket, according to the findings.
Criminal cases among lawmakers
The report also gives details related to pending criminal cases. It states that 69 MPs (about 31 percent of those analysed) face criminal charges. Out of these, 36 MPs are involved in serious cases that carry a potential punishment of five years or more.
Among the specific cases mentioned, one MP is facing a murder charge, while four others have cases related to attempted murder. Four MPs are also facing cases related to crimes against women.
Party-wise data shows variation across political groups. Among Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s 107 MPs, 28 face criminal cases. In the Congress, 12 out of 29 MPs are listed. The numbers include 2 of 9 Trinamool Congress MPs, 2 of 8 DMK MPs, 2 of 4 Samajwadi Party MPs and 3 of 4 Telugu Desam Party MPs.
All three MPs each from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi and Communist Party of India (Marxist) are also listed in the report. The Rashtriya Janata Dal has 2 of 3 MPs with cases, while the Aam Aadmi Party has 1 of 3 MPs facing charges.
Wealth concentration among states
The shows that Telangana is a major hub of wealth in the Rajya Sabha. All seven MPs from the state together hold assets worth Rs 8,310 crore. Four of them are classified as billionaires, making the state one of the most wealth-heavy representations in the Upper House.
Among individual MPs, BRS member Dr Bandi Parthasaradhi tops the list with declared assets of over Rs 5,300 crore. He is followed by BJP MP Rajinder Gupta from Punjab, who holds assets worth around Rs 5,053 crore. Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi is third on the list with assets worth about Rs 2,558 crore.
At the lower end of the spectrum, AAP MP Sant Balbir Singh has declared assets of just Rs 3.79 lakh. CPI(M) MP AA Rahim follows with Rs 11.62 lakh, while BJP MP Sumitra Valmiki has assets worth Rs 17.85 lakh.
High liabilities among top asset holders
The report also highlights cases where high assets come with equally large liabilities. Independent MP Parimal Nathwani from Jharkhand holds assets worth over Rs 755 crore but also has the highest declared liabilities of Rs 256 crore. He is serving his third term in the Rajya Sabha and recently secured his seat in an election that witnessed cross-voting support.
TDP MP B. Rama Krishna from Andhra Pradesh has declared assets of over Rs 672 crore along with liabilities exceeding Rs 200 crore. Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan is also listed among high-asset lawmakers, with declared assets of Rs 1,578 crore and liabilities of over Rs 149 crore.
