Odisha Govt Defers Speaker’s Election To September 22 Due To Nuakhai Festival

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government today deferred the election for the post of Assembly Speaker to September 22 due to Nuakhai festival.

The government’s decision came after opposition BJP and the Congress declared to boycott poll which was earlier scheduled on September 21.

The election for the post of Speaker will be held at 9.30 am on September 22, the day on which the monsoon session of the assembly will begin, an official said.

The House proceedings will start at 11 am after the election, he said, adding that the post has remained vacant since B K Arukha resigned as the Speaker on May 12.

The date for filing of nominations for the Speaker’s post has also been rescheduled to September 21 from September 18, sources said.

The government action came after both the opposition parties expressed their inability to participate in the Speaker’s election as it coincided with Nuakhai celebration, the agrarian festival of western Odisha.

Both the BJP and the Congress had also accused the BJD government of having a “step-motherly attitude” towards the people of western Odisha.

“Our MLAs will not attend the Speaker’s election on September 21 as it is held on the day of ‘Bhet-Ghat’, the day following Nuakhai festival. As the government has refused to change the date, we will boycott the Speaker’s election,” BJP MLA and party vice-president Nauri Naik had told reporters on Friday.

Earlier, the Congress had also announced its decision to boycott the Speaker’s election as it coincided with Bhet-Ghat of Nuakhai festival.

“The government usually declares a two-day holiday for Nuakhai festival. Since half of the Congress MLAs, who hail from western Odisha districts, will be busy celebrating Nuakhai festival in their respective areas, they will not be able to participate in the election,” Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Narasingh Mishra had said.

Alleging “step-motherly attitude”, Mishra had even called upon the people of western Odisha to protest the state government’s decision to hold the Speaker’s election on the day of Bhet-Ghat.