New MCD councillors have it all — slush to money

An analysis by a non-government organisation, Association for Democratic Reforms, of the 272 newly elected councillors of the corporations has thrown up some interesting nuggets of information.

The three newly formed municipal corporations in the Capital have a heady mix — from very rich to dirt poor, educated professionals to illiterates and aged and wizened to youthful.

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An analysis by a non-government organisation, Association for Democratic Reforms, of the 272 newly elected councillors of the corporations has thrown up some interesting nuggets of information.

A good number of people with criminal pasts have sneaked into the House. Of the 49 who have criminal charges pending against them, 12 hold the distinction of facing cases of serious crimes.

Shoeb Danish of the Congress tops the list with four criminal cases registered in different police stations in Delhi. He has two serious charges of attempt to murder and three charges of rioting against him. He could not be reached for comments.

Though 97 of the 236 members whose affidavits were analysed by the organisation are graduates or above, there are 88 who have not even completed their school education.

About 120 are millionaires from different backgrounds — acquiring wealth only in the past few years. The BJP’s Sativinder Kaur Sirsa, the richest councillor in the House, has assets worth around Rs. 112 crore.

“It is not bad that moneyed people are being elected. What disappoints us is that 80% of Delhi’s poor have almost no representation,” said Anil Bairwal, national coordinator of the Assosciation for Democratic Reforms.

Those who think only veterans contest the elections should now change their perception. The new House has 22 councillors who are less than 30 years of age. Six of them haven’t even reached the age of 25.