Odisha Assembly Session hardly completes number of sitting days

Session of Odisha Legislative Assembly hardly completes number of  sitting days fixed in a year under Nabin Patnaik Govt., exposed  under RTI

Dear  friends

The  Legislative Assemblies  are  considered  as temple of  democracy.  It is  a platform  of  MLAs  elected  by  the citizens  to  debate   and discourse  about   various  issues  affecting  the state ,  make laws for benefit of the  common people and  finalizes  various  plan  and programme for development of the state. The people’s hope  and aspiration is also  reflected in the assembly  session.  The people  have great expectation  from their elected  representatives. Since 2005, it was mandated  that  the sitting of Odisha Legislative assembly  would be atleast 60 days  in a calendar  year. But  it was  changed   after  a motion moved  by Govt. Chief Whip  was passed  in the assembly in December , 2014, though  opposition MLAs  protested  against   it. Since  2015, the  days  of assembly  session gets drastically reduced as fixed  by Govt. Reduction of  days of assembly session by Nabin Patnaik  Govt.  and pandemonium by opposition and treasury bench members  has hampered  parliamentary  debate  and discussion about people’s issues which is not  health trend for  democracy . Chief Minister  is  hardly  seen participating  in any  debate  and discourse  on policy  related  issues.

RTI Application was filed  to the PIO, office of the Speaker, Odisha Legislative Assembly  seeking  information  about   total no. of days fixed  for assembly  session during last 10 years  and actual days  of sitting held .  On 6.12.18, the  PIO  has  provided  the  following  information.

Year	Sitting Days  planned	Sitting days  Actual
2009	61	51
2010	60	60
2011	60	54
2012	60	60
2013	60	52
2014	59	48
2015	62	52
2016	64	45
2017	65	48
2018	65	42

Observation

A.      It  was  observed  from  RTI  information  since 2014,  days  of assembly session  has been drastically  reduced  to 48 ( 2014), 45 (2016), 48 (2017), 42(2018). 

B.      Even  though the assembly session gets reduced ,  the  limited  days is not  devoted  much  for  debate  on people’s issues , as pandemonium , boycott by  both opposition and treasury benches  is witnessed  several times.

C.      Odisha assembly has  not performed well, as assembly sessions are  abruptly  adjourned.  Opposition voice is seen scuttled  and denied  to speak  and raise issues in the assembly.

Pradip Pradhan

M-9937843482

Date- 13.1.19