Odisha Assembly Adjourned For Third Straight Day

Bhubaneswar: Proceedings of the Odisha Legislative Assembly were disrupted for the third consecutive day on Friday, with the House functioning for barely six minutes in the forenoon amid noisy protests by Opposition members over farmers’ issues.

As the Assembly convened and Question Hour commenced, Opposition legislators trooped into the well of the House, waving placards and raising slogans over alleged irregularities in paddy procurement and what they termed the government’s “apathy” towards farmers.

Despite repeated appeals by Speaker Surama Padhy to maintain order and allow listed business to proceed, the protesting members refused to return to their seats. Amid the din, the Speaker adjourned the House within six minutes of the session beginning, rescheduling it to 11.30 am.

When the Assembly reassembled, the stalemate persisted, forcing another adjournment till 4 pm.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticised the Opposition for stalling legislative business, asserting that the government was prepared to hold a structured discussion on farmers’ concerns. Party leaders alleged that the protests were aimed at disrupting proceedings rather than engaging in debate.

Opposition MLA Sarada Prasanna Jena defended the agitation inside the House, claiming that irregularities in paddy procurement had left farmers in distress and accusing the government of failing to safeguard their interests.

The disruptions come on a crucial day for the state, with Chief Minister Mohan Majhi scheduled to present the Budget for 2026–27 later in the afternoon.

In 2025–26, the Odisha government had proposed a Budget outlay of Rs 2.90 lakh crore. This year, the size is expected to rise to around Rs 3.20 lakh crore, signalling a significant expansion in expenditure amid growing expectations across sectors.

With major fiscal announcements on the horizon, attention is now focused on whether the post-lunch session will proceed smoothly, even as political tensions over agrarian issues continue to cast a shadow over the House.

------------------