Odisha assembly passes three Bills amid uproar

The state assembly today passed three Bills despite the ruckus that prevailed in the house on the 12th day with the Opposition unrelenting in its protest against the government on the chit fund scam.

The three bills — Odisha Cooperative Societies Amendment Bill 2014, Indian Stamp (Odisha Amendment) Bill 2014 and Burla NAC (notified area council) Tenure Reduction Bill were passed in the house after it reconvened for business at 3 pm.

Earlier when the house reopened on the 12th day of the winter session, the speaker had adjourned the house till 3 pm as unruly scene prevailed.

Besides this, the Odisha Open University Bill was introduced in the house for discussion. The house could run for barely 29 minutes as the enraged Opposition MLAs from Congress and BJP staged a walkout, pressing for their demand for reconsideration of the speaker's ruling on allowing debate on chit fund scam. Last week, speaker Niranjan Pujari had ruled out any discussion on the chit fund issue on the premise of advice given by the state Advocate General.

The Opposition was also sore over non-introduction of Bills in Odia language and passage of the Bills without its participation. Faced with an intransigent Opposition, the speaker adjourned the house till Thursday.

Leader of the Opposition Narsingha Mishra said, "Both the speaker and the government are determined not to allow any debate on the chit fund scam and paralyse the assembly proceedings".

"We have been pleading for reconsideration of ruling given by the speaker on allowing a debate on the chit fund scam. But the speaker maintains that he has reserved his ruling. For how many days will he reserve his ruling?", said state BJP president K V Singhdeo.