Karnataka's 36 Congress Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) have criminal background, said a report by the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR).
According to the report, out of the 207 MLAs analysed, 68 (33 percent) MLAs had declared criminal cases against themselves.
The report added that 35 (17 percent) MLAs had declared serious criminal cases against themselves.
The ADR and Karnataka Election Watch have analysed the self-sworn affidavits of 207 out of 224 MLAs.
Seventeen MLAs have not been analysed because either they are no longer members of Karnataka assembly or due to badly scanned affidavits. This report has been prepared on the basis of the affidavits submitted by the MLAs prior to Karnataka Assembly Elections, 2013.
The Congress tops the list with 36 (32 percent) of its MLAs out of 114 having criminal cases registered against them.
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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is on the second spot with 13 MLAs out of 40 having criminal background.
11 (31 percent) out of 35 MLAs from Janata Dal (Secular) [JDS], 1(25 percent) out of 4 MLAs from Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP), 1 (33 percent) out of 3 MLAs from Badavara Shramikara Raithara Congress (BSRC), 1(100 percent) out of 1 MLA from Samajwadi Party, 1 (100 percent) out of 1 MLA from Karnataka Makkala Paksha (KMP) and 4(44 percent) out of 9 Independents MLAs had declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.
Congress also topped on the list of MLAs having serious criminal cases. Out of 114 MLAs, 17 (15 percent) Congress MLAs have serious criminal cases registered against them.
The BJP is having second highest number of MLAs with serious criminal background. Its 8 (20 percent) out of 40 MLAs have serious criminal cases against them.
Apart from it, 5 (14 percent) out of 35 MLAs from JDS, 1(100 percent) MLA each from SP and KMP and 3(33 percent) out of 9 Independents MLAs had declared serious criminal cases including cases related to attempt to murder, dacoity and kidnapping etcetera.