It is an irony but a brute reality that a State which is clubbed among the poor States in India is set to vote for candidates who are millionaires with assets, movable and immovable, running into crores, but have no Income Tax returns to show concern for the poor who are indirectly dependent on these super-rich for sustenance.
As per the report generated by the Jharkhand Election Watch-Association of Democratic Reforms about 10 super-rich candidates contesting in Phase-I of Assembly elections have not declared ITR in the affidavit filed from their respective constituencies. Worse, five out of 10 crorepartis have not submitted even their PAN details. Nonetheless, they tersely admit their mistake for not declaring ITR or sharing their PAN details.
“I cannot say anything at the moment. But yes I do feel that a people’s representative should take care of these things (sharing ITR),”said Independent candidate from Garhwa, Mohammed Asgar Ali.The report generated for Phase-I constituencies highlights that 23 per cent (43) candidates in poll fray are millionaires and 60 per cent (120) candidates have not declared their income tax details in their affidavit. The report says that average assets per candidate contesting election in Phase-I is Rs1.02-core.
Notably among major parties, the average assets per candidate for BJP candidates is Rs1.97-crores, JMMcandidates have average assets of Rs99.33-lakhs, BSP candidates have average assets worth of Rs72.14-lakhs, JVM(P) candidates have average assets worth Rs3.47 crores, INC candidates have average assets worth of Rs1.68-crores and Independent candidates have average assets of Rs84.98-lakhs, says the report of the independent watchdog.