The 11th Session of the 15th Odisha legislative Assembly was declared sine die on Thursday, ahead of 13 scheduled days.
The Winter Session witnessed presentation of the Supplementary Budget and passing of four Bills, including the Appropriation Bill. Besides, many important issues were taken up for discussion. Three motions were brought including one on the Mahanadi issue in the House.
The House witnessed disruptions during the Question Hour while tabling of the Commission report on Kalinganar police firing.
As the House met at 10.30 am, the Congress members rushed into the Well of the House and protested Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Surjya Narayan Patro making a clarification to their demands on paddy distress sale outside the House and demanded that the Minister express regret in the House.
Similarly, the BJP members kept demanding collection of penalty from the miners for having resorted to illegal mining violating the rules and distributing the same among pest and drought-affected farmers at the earliest.
As they didn’t relent, Deputy Speaker Sanand Marandi adjourned the House till 12 noon.
When the House reassembled, leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra further raised Minister Patro’s issue of violating laws by expressing his views on the matter raised by Opposition outside the House. He too pointed out that the information about the proposal of the Minister to submit a statement on the matter in the House was not put in the list of Business of the House. He said the Opposition members would not cooperate for running of the House unless and
As Speaker Pradeep Kumar Amat said there is a tradition that a Minister can make a statement without being listed in the list of the Business, the Opposition members got infuriated and trooped into the Well of the House and shouted anti-Government slogans. Amid sloganeering, the Minister submitted a reply on the matter.
Consequently, the Speaker adjourned the House at 12.17 pm till 3 pm.
The Opposition members too insisted on their demand at 3 pm and staged a walkout as the Speaker didn’t give a ruling in their favour.
Amid their absence, two Bills named, the AIPH University, Odisha Bill, 2017 and the Odisha Forest Development (Tax on sale of forest produce by Government or Odisha Forest Development Corporation) ( Repeal) Bill, 2017, were discussed and passed.