New Delhi: Twelve ministers in the Kerala cabinet have declared criminal cases against themselves in their election affidavits, according to a report by poll rights group Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).
Kerala Election Watch and ADR have analysed self-sworn affidavits of 20 of the 21 ministers, including that of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
The affidavit of CPM leader and minister V Sivankutty was not analysed due to unavailability of a complete and properly scanned document on the Election Commission's website, the report said.
According to the report, 12 or 60 per cent ministers have declared criminal cases against themselves while five or 25 per cent ministers have declared serious criminal cases against themselves.
A case in which if convicted a prison term of years or more is considered as a serious criminal case.
Among the ministers with criminal cases, seven are from CPM and three from CPI.
Out of the affidavit of 20 ministers analysed, 13 or 65 per cent are 'crorepatis' and the average assets of 20 ministers analysed is Rs 2.55 crores, it said.
"The minister with the highest declared total assets is V Abdurahiman from the Tanur assembly constituency with assets worth Rs 17.17 crores. The minister with the lowest declared total assets is P Prasad from the Cherthala constituency with assets worth Rs. 14.18 lakhs," the report said.
It said that eight or 40 per cent ministers have declared their educational qualification to be between classes eight and 12, while 12 ministers have declared having an educational qualification of graduate level or above.
"A total of 13 (65 per cent) ministers have declared their age to be between 41-60 years, while seven (35 per cent) ministers have declared their age to be between 61-80 years and out of 20 ministers, three are women," the report said.
The second Pinarayi Vijayan government with a 21-minister cabinet, including the chief minister, was sworn-in on May 20.
(with inputs from PTI)
