More people awarded Padma Shri in poll years

Hyderabad: The Centre announced 112 Padma awards this year, among them 94 are Padma Shris. This is the most since 2004, when 100 Padma Shris were given.

An independent analysis of the data put up by the Union home ministry has revealed that a high number of Padma Shris are awared in election years. The Congress was in power in two of these election years and the BJP in two.

Founder of Factly, Mr Rakesh Reddy D., said, “Three general elections were held in the last 19 years and the fourth is due this year. In all the four election years, the number of Padma Shris is higher than the average of the preceding four years.”

Mr Reddy said that the number of Padma Shris awarded in 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019 was 29 per cent higher than the average of the preceding four non-election years. 

“This trend points to a question: Do political clout and election fever influence the Padma awards,” he said.

Interestingly, from 2000, around  30 per cent of Padma Shris were given to Delhi and Maharashtra, followed by Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. 

In comparison, Telangana got two Padma Shris this year and none last year. 

Asked about the vast difference, Mr Rakesh Reddy  said, “While there seems to be no direct link between the electoral performance of the ruling party and number of awards to people from a state, it does seem that the greater political clout at the Centre plays a significant role in winning these awards.”