Average annual self-income of 479 sitting MPs is Rs 30.29 lakh: Report

The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) along with National Election Watch (NEW) have analysed the self-declared affidavits of 479 out of the 521 sitting Lok Sabha MPs, which were submitted in 2014, prior to the general elections. 42 MPs did not declare their income and hence have not been included in the report.  

As per the findings, the average annual self-income of 479 sitting MPs is Rs. 30.29 lakh. Andhra Pradesh’s 19 MPs analysed have the highest average annual self-income of Rs. 105.9 lakh, followed by Odisha’s 15 MPs analysed with average annual self-income of Rs. 68.8 lakh.

As far as the other southern states are concerned, Telangana’s 14 MPs have average annual income of Rs 30.6 lakh, Karnataka’s 27 MPs have Rs 26.4 lakh, Kerala’s 17 MPs have Rs 10.6 lakh and Tamil Nadu’s 33 MPs have annual average income of Rs 7.2 lakh. 

Two MPs analysed of Goa have the lowest average annual self-income of Rs. 5.3 lakh, followed by 33 MPs analysed of Tamil Nadu with average annual self-income of Rs. 7.2 lakh.

Out of 479 MPs analysed, 5 (2%) MPs have not given their profession in their affidavit.

98 (20%) out of 479 MPs have declared business as their profession, and 91(19%) MPs as agriculturist/ farmer.

16 (3%) MPs who have declared their profession as Actor/Film maker/ Singer have the highest average annual self-income of Rs. 106.81 lakh.

40 (8%) MPs who have declared their profession as agriculture and business, have the second highest average annual self-income of Rs. 75.24 lakh.

106 (22%) MPs have declared their educational qualification as graduate. The average annual self-income of these MPs is Rs. 41.28 lakh.

There are 6 MPs who have declared their educational qualification as 5th pass. The average annual self-income of these 6 MPs is Rs. 1.41 crore.

150 MPs aged between 46-55 years, have average annual self-income of Rs. 40.54 lakh whereas 54 MPs aged 66-75 years, have average annual self income of Rs. 16.72 lakh.

Only 58 (12%) MPs are women. On an average a male MP’s annual self- income is Rs. 30.54 lakh, whereas for a female MP, it is Rs. 28.46 lakh.

A total of 42 MPs did not declare their annual self-income which includes six MPs from Tamil Nadu, one from Andhra Pradesh, and one from Telangana.

The report also makes certain recommendations which include: It should be mandatory for the candidates to declare their annual self-income in their affidavit, whether or not they have filed their IT returns; there should be uniform categorisation of professions declared by the candidates; In the recently implemented section for source of income, candidates should declare the detailed amount of income from each source.