The State Assembly was adjourned till Wednesday because of continued disruptions as the Monsoon Session began on Tuesday here with opposition Congress and BJP members upping the ante over establishment of a permanent Bench of the Odisha High Court (HC) in western Odisha.
Notably, all political parties have decided to boycott the ongoing Urban local Body (UlB) elections supporting the demand of the Bar Association of Sambalpur for the HC Bench. The association has launched a five-day bandh on Tuesday to press for the demand.
The House could run for only 17 minutes and no business could be transacted as the Congress and BJP members stalled the proceedings and forced nine consecutive adjournments and finally for the day at 4.43 pm.
Being the opening day of the Session, the House took up the obituary references on the passing away of ex-member Maheswar Barad and four martyrs of Odisha belonging to defence and State police establishment, such as Deepak Kumar Pati, former Colonel, 19 Raj Rifles, JN Maharanata, former Havildar, ASC Batalion, Sudhaansu Nayak, former Havildar FD Regiment and Kanhu Charan Madhi, former Special Police Officer. When Speaker Padeep Kumar Amat started the Question Hour after the formal condolence, leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh raised the issue of the demand for establishment of HC Bench in western Odisha.
Singh demanded that the Question Hour should be suspended to take up discussion over the issue. However, unmindful of the contention of the leader of Opposition, the Speaker asked the Forest and Environment Minister Bijoyshree Routray to answer the first question put by Congress member Santosh Singh Saluja. As Routray started his reply, the Congress members trooped to the well demanding HC Bench amid shouting slogan and demonstrated before the Speaker’s podium. later, the BJP members rushed to the Well and join the Congress members in the demonstration.
The BJP legislature Party leader Jayanaryan Mishra and his party colleague Hitesh Bagarti in a novel way raised the issue by wearing a long white jacket. Mishra slammed the State Government for its dilatory tactics and insincerity in taking up the issue with the HC and the Union Government.
Rejecting the Paul Commission set up by the State Government on the issue, Mishra demanded that the process for setting up of the permanent Bench should be started immediately basing on the recommendation of the Yaswant Sinha Committee. Noisy scenes forced Speaker Amat to adjourn the House at 11.14 am till 12.30 pm.
When the House reassembled, it was again adjourned for lunch till 3 pm as din prevailed in the House. Due to the uproar, the House could run for only 14 minutes in the pre-lunch session and the adjournment motion brought by the Opposition relating to the western Odisha Bandh could not be taken up for discussion.
As soon as the House reassembled in the post lunch session at 3 pm, though similar demand was raised by the Opposition, the Speaker could push the laying of the Self Help Cooperatives Repeal Ordinance, 2013 amid noisy scene. He directed Cooperation Minister Bikram Keshari Arukh to lay the Ordinance.
Besides, on the direction of the Speaker, Secretary of the Assembly Amiya Kumar Sarangi laid the list of bills which received the assent of the President of India and the Governor. The legislative business could not take place due to the continuous uproar by the opposition Congress members in the Well. As the noise continued, the House was adjourned for seven times from 3.03 pm up to 4.28 pm and finally for the day at 4.43 pm.