A recent investigation into the financial declarations of India's parliamentarians has uncovered a significant trend of wealth accumulation among those with long tenures. The analysis, conducted by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), focuses on Members of Parliament who have served for at least a decade, comparing their asset affidavits from 2014 and 2024.
Staggering National and Gujarat-Specific Trends
The ADR study scrutinized the financial affidavits of 102 re-elected MPs submitted to the Election Commission of India. It found that, on average, the declared assets of these parliamentarians increased by a substantial Rs 17.36 crore over the ten-year period. The data reveals a prominent representation from Gujarat, with eight of the analysed MPs hailing from the state, most of whom showed considerable growth in their net worth.
Jamnagar MP Records Spectacular 747% Rise
Among the Gujarat MPs, the most dramatic increase belongs to Jamnagar's representative, Poonam Madam. Her declared assets skyrocketed from Rs 17.43 crore in 2014 to a staggering Rs 147.70 crore in 2024. This jump of Rs 130 crore represents a growth of 747% over the decade, placing her second in the entire national list of MPs studied. The only parliamentarian with a higher increase was Satara MP Shrimant Udayaraje Bhonsle, whose wealth grew by Rs 162 crore.
The report further details that six other MPs from Gujarat declared asset growth ranging between Rs 2 crore and Rs 6 crore during the same timeframe. This pattern underscores a broader trend of rising wealth among long-serving elected representatives from the region.
Notable Exception: A Case of Declared Wealth Reduction
In a contrasting development, the analysis highlighted one significant exception from Gujarat. BJP state president and Navsari MP C R Paatil reported a decrease in his declared assets. According to his affidavits, his wealth fell from Rs 74 crore in 2014 to Rs 39 crore in 2024, marking a reduction of 47%. He stands out as the only MP from Gujarat in this study to show a decline in net worth.
Implications and Transparency in Democracy
The ADR report, based on legally mandated disclosures, brings the issue of lawmakers' wealth accumulation into public discourse. The substantial increases, particularly in cases like that of Poonam Madam, raise questions about the sources of wealth generation for public servants. Such analyses are crucial for promoting transparency and informing voters about the financial trajectories of their elected representatives over their political careers.
The findings emphasize the importance of continued scrutiny of asset declarations as a tool for accountability in Indian democracy. While the data shows the change in declared value, it does not comment on the sources or means of acquisition, which remains a separate area for public and institutional inquiry.
