Speaker Rejects Congress’s No-Confidence Motion Again
Bhubaneswar: For the second time in the ongoing Monsoon Session, Odisha Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy has rejected the no-confidence motion submitted by the Congress party against the Mohan Majhi-led BJP government.
The motion, filed at 6:44 PM on September 22, was dismissed on procedural grounds, sparking fresh controversy and protests.
The Speaker ruled that a no-confidence motion on the same subject cannot be reintroduced within the same session, and that a six-month interval is required before bringing another motion on similar grounds. Congress legislators, however, accused the Speaker of deliberately blocking debate on critical issues such as women’s safety, unemployment, and the farm crisis.
Following the rejection, Congress MLAs staged a walkout and held a dharna near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi inside the Assembly premises. They raised slogans alleging a BJD-BJP nexus aimed at shielding the government from scrutiny.
Congress Legislature Party leader Rama Chandra Kadam stated that the party would take the issue to the streets and explain the procedural injustice to the public. MLA Sofia Firdous argued that the motion was filed in accordance with all rules and formats, and accused the Speaker of intentional delay and dismissal.
