In a blow to the opposition parties in Odisha, the Legislative Assembly Speaker, Surama Padhy, has turned down requests from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress to disqualify 11 lawmakers. These legislators were accused of supporting the BJP-backed candidate during the Rajya Sabha elections in March. Speaker Padhy stated that the petitions lacked essential details required by the rules for disqualification.
The Speaker highlighted that the applications did not meet the criteria specified under the Odisha Legislative Assembly’s rules on defection. The petitions were found to be deficient in providing necessary supporting documents and verified annexures. Consequently, the Speaker dismissed the applications under the relevant rule.
Both the BJD and Congress had urged for the disqualification of 11 MLAs for allegedly voting against their party’s directives. The opposition criticized the legislators for breaching party discipline and constitutional norms. While the ruling BJP welcomed the Speaker’s decision, the opposition parties expressed discontent and hinted at exploring legal recourse.
