Odisha assembly winter session ends in five days instead of 23

BHUBANESWAR: The winter session of Odisha Legislative Assembly came to a premature end on Saturday after speaker Pradip Amat adjourned the proceedings for indefinite time.
The session starting November 16 was originally scheduled to continue till December 15 with plan for total 23 working days. However, the session was stopped after five working days.
Government chief whip Amar Prasad Satpathy justified the speaker’s decision to cut the session short.“There was no official business left to take up. Though the session was brief, it held discussions on adjournment motions brought by the opposition and discussed questions raised by the members,” he said.
The opposition, Congress and BJP, however, criticised the government for not continuing with the schedule. “There were many people’s issues which could have been taken up in the session. It’s unfortunate it was ended abruptly. We condemn the government decision,” said leader of opposition Narasingha Mishra.
Echoing similar views, BJP MLA Rabi Narayan Naik said the government desperately stopped the proceedings because it was unable to face the opposition onslaught on series of problems. The government had no reply on the pressing problems of farmers who are facing problems in selling paddy, he said.
The assembly did not pass any Bill in the brief session. One of the major highlights was passing of a resolution by the assembly for 33% women’s reservation in Parliament and state assemblies. It also passed a motion forgiving defence analyst Abhijit Iyer-Mitra for his alleged derogatory remarks against the state assembly and its members.
The ruling BJD members had stalled the proceedings in protest against cut in central share of funds in scholarship scheme meant for scheduled caste on November 19. A day later, the BJP members had created ruckus alleging unholy nexus between the ruling BJD and principal opposition Congress and had staged demonstration near statue of Mahatma Gandhi inside the assembly premises.