Odisha Assembly Adjourned on March 16 for Rajya Sabha Polling
The Odisha Legislative Assembly will remain closed on March 16, with proceedings adjourned for the day, as announced by Speaker Surama Padhy.
Odisha Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy has declared that the House will not convene on March 16 (Monday). The announcement came on Friday afternoon following discussions on cut motions.
According to the report of the Business Advisory Committee adopted by the House, the scheduled session for that day has been cancelled as per the provisional calendar of sittings for the current session.
Questions listed for March 16 will now be taken up and answered on March 17 (Tuesday). Additionally, the demands for grants related to the School and Mass Education Department and Higher Education Department, originally slated for discussion and voting on Monday, have been rescheduled to March 20.
The primary reason for the adjournment appears to be the polling for the Rajya Sabha elections, scheduled for March 16 from 9 am to 4 pm in the Assembly premises. With preparations in the final stages for the biennial elections to four Rajya Sabha seats from Odisha—where five candidates are in the fray after no withdrawals—the day has been set aside exclusively for the voting process.
Although the Speaker did not explicitly cite this in her announcement, the coincidence has been widely noted amid heightened political activity, including whips issued by BJP, BJD, and Congress directing MLAs to remain present in Bhubaneswar and not leave the headquarters.
Separately, the Odisha Legislative Assembly Secretariat has issued a distinct directive from Secretary Satyabrata Rout, stating that due to special work, the Assembly office will function normally on Saturday and Sunday.
This adjustment comes during the ongoing budget session, ensuring legislative business continues smoothly while accommodating the critical Rajya Sabha polling.
