Demands turn into noisy protest after condolence proceedings; Speaker Surama Padhy adjourns House till 1:10 PM and Dy. Speaker adjourns house till 4 PM
GTNS, SEPTEMBER 22,2026, BHUBANESWAR: The opening day of the Monsoon Session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly witnessed a sharp political turn on Tuesday when Opposition legislators protested inside the House over a range of demands, with several members moving towards the Speaker’s podium and raising slogans.The disruption came after the House completed the condolence proceedings that marked the beginning of the session. With the Opposition continuing its protest and normal proceedings becoming difficult to conduct, Speaker Surama Padhy adjourned the House till 1:10 PM and dy speaker adjourned the house till 4 PM.The seventh session of the 17th Odisha Legislative Assembly began on Tuesday and is scheduled to continue from September 22 to October 3. The official Assembly NEVA portal has listed the session calendar and the business scheduled for September 22.A solemn beginningThe House initially began in a solemn atmosphere.After Speaker Surama Padhy reached the Assembly, proceedings commenced with Vande Mataram followed by the National Anthem.Leader of the House and Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi then moved a condolence motion remembering former ministers Dambur Majhi and Sushant Singh, former Government Chief Whip Satya Bhushan Sahu, and former members Ramamurti Gamang, Haji Mohammad Ayub Khan and Shivaji Majhi.The House also expressed grief over those who lost their lives in the recent flood disaster in Nepal.Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik, Congress Legislature Party leader Ram Chandra Kadam, the CPI representative and Speaker Surama Padhy joined in expressing condolences. Members subsequently observed a minute of silence.Opposition protest changes the moodThe atmosphere changed once the House moved towards its regular business.Opposition members began raising slogans and pressing their demands. The protest intensified as members moved away from their seats and gathered near the Speaker’s podium.The demonstration created repeated interruptions in the proceedings, with the Speaker asking members to return to their seats and allow the House to function.The Opposition has entered the session with several issues it intends to raise against the government. Among the subjects flagged before the session are the MMDR Amendment Act, 2026, the Mahanadi water dispute, alleged errors in school textbooks, prices, law and order and other matters of public interest. The government, meanwhile, has said it wants constructive debate and smooth functioning of the House.Textbook issue also remains on Opposition agendaThe textbook controversy is another issue surrounding the opening of the session. The BJD’s youth and student wings had announced a protest outside the Assembly over alleged errors in school textbooks and demanded action against School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond. The government has said corrective measures are being taken and proofreading is underway.Speaker adjourns HouseAs the protest continued inside the chamber and normal proceedings were affected, Speaker Surama Padhy finally announced the adjournment of the House till 1:10 PM.The development gave the opening day of the Monsoon Session a distinctly confrontational political tone after an initially solemn start.The session is scheduled to run until October 3, leaving several working days for the government and Opposition to debate legislation, raise public issues and seek responses from the treasury benches.