Assembly Session / Odisha Assembly Monsoon Session Rocked by Protests, Adjourned Till 4 PM

Bhubaneswar, Sep 23: The Monsoon Session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly entered its second day on Wednesday amid uproar, with opposition members once again storming the well of the House over alleged errors in school textbooks and the contentious Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026.

The morning proceedings, which included question hour for departments such as agriculture, cooperation, food supplies, tribal welfare, science and technology, and fisheries, were disrupted almost immediately.

Congress MLAs wore banners and raised slogans demanding repeal of the MMDR Act, while BJD legislators pressed for a motion to discuss “mistakes in newly printed school textbooks.”

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In a dramatic scene, MLAs Tara Prasad Bahinipati, Dhruba Charan Sahoo and Yogesh Singh climbed onto the reporter’s table, forcing Deputy Speaker Bhabani Shankar Bhoi to adjourn the House. The session lasted barely seven minutes before being suspended until 4 PM.

Only one question was taken up during question hour. Responding to MLA Manas Das, Science and Technology Minister Krushna Chandra Patra announced that a Science Park will be established in Balasore. He said land had been identified and district authorities had been asked to transfer it to the department.

“Four letters have been sent, but no reply has been received. We will soon call the Collector to Bhubaneswar for discussions,” Patra stated, adding that the project would cost ₹15 crore and require five acres of land.

The disruptions mirrored Tuesday’s opening day, which was adjourned multiple times after opposition protests. Speaker Surama Padhy’s appeals for calm failed to restore order, while outside the Assembly, BJD MLAs joined their party’s youth and student wings in a demonstration at Mahatma Gandhi Marg.

BJP MLA Irasis Acharya criticised the opposition for “paralysing proceedings” and obstructing legislative business. The nine‑day Monsoon Session, scheduled to continue until October 3, is expected to see the introduction of six key bills.

With repeated adjournments and noisy protests, the session has so far been dominated by confrontation rather than legislative debate, leaving crucial business pending.