Odisha Assembly's winter sessions begins, adjourns for the day

Odisha Assembly today paid tributes to departed leaders including former Speaker Somnath Rath on the opening day of its winter session before adjourning till tomorrow without transacting any business.

"The House is adjourned till tomorrow as a mark of respect to late members of this House," Speaker Pradip Amat said after the obituary reference.

Soon after the House assembled, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik moved the motion recalling the great departed leaders and defence personnel. The House observed one-minute silence for the departed former members of the Assembly.

"The sad demise of the ex-members of this August House and the martyrs is a great loss to the nation and to the members of the bereaved families. I, therefore, request you to kindly convey our sincere condolence to the bereaved families," Patnaik said.

Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh of Congress, BJP Legislature Party Leader Jaynarayan Mishra and CPI leader Adikanda Sethi also expressed their condolence to the departed leaders and martyrs.

The winter session of the Assembly slated to continue till December 26 will have 23 working days including four private members' days. Finance Minister Prasanna Acharya is to present a supplementary budget for the current year on November 29.