Odisha speaker, two ministers resign amid speculations of cabinet reshuffle
The Speaker Bikram Keshari Arukha, five-time MLA from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s home district of Ganjam, cited personal reasons for resigning from the post.
Ahead of the monsoon assembly session, the ministers and lawmakers of the Odisha Legislative Assembly (OLA) will undergo RT-PCR and antibody tests.
Besides, the personal security officers (PSO) and drivers, staff of the assembly will also undergo the tests in an attempt to keep the house free from infection, informed Speaker OLA Surjya Narayan Patro on Friday.
“The House will run for five hours every day with two sittings (from 10.30 am-1.30 pm and 4 pm-6 pm). It will function on Saturdays too. Starred questions will be taken up during the House proceedings. Adjournment motions will be allowed during the Session,” said the Speaker after attending an all-party meeting here today.
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The monsoon session, which will commence on 1 September, will conclude on 9 September. It will have eight business days, he said.
The MLAs can attend the proceedings through video conferencing. Special sitting arrangements with adequate social distancing have been made keeping in view the COVID situation. The proceedings will be completely paperless, Patro added.
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