BHUBANESWAR: Breaking away from the typical pattern of disruptions, the Odisha Legislative Assembly worked for 16 hours and passed two crucial bills before adjourning sine die at 7am on Thursday.
Both ruling BJP and opposition BJD members participated in the marathon session that began at 10:30 am on Wednesday, taking only a two-hour lunch break. The rare show of bipartisan cooperation was hailed by both parties as an exemplary execution of legislative business.
Following a three-day break—Sunday, Odisha Divas on Monday, and Eid Ul Fitre on Tuesday—the House reconvened on Wednesday with unprecedented understanding between the two benches. The day began with a productive question hour session, followed by Zero Hour and an adjournment motion discussion with no disruption.
The highlight of the session was the extensive debate on the Odisha University Amendment Bill, 2024, which lasted for more than 12 hours until 4:30 am Thursday.
The Bill’s passage is crucial as it addresses recruitment issues in universities that were stalled due to a pending Supreme Court case challenging the previous 2020 amendment.
Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, deputy chief minister Pravati Parida, and 12 other ministers were present when the crucial Bill was passed. The House also passed the State Highways Authority Bill, 2025, before being declared sine die around 7 am.
“This is a historic day for Odisha’s legislative history,” said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Mahaling. “The extensive debate on the University Amendment Bill sets a new precedent for legislative discourse.”
He noted the chief minister actively participated in the discussions, and opposition leader Naveen Patnaik was present during some stages of the debate.
Deputy Leader of Opposition Prasanna Acharya praised the proceedings, stating, “This session demonstrates our commitment to legislative responsibilities. The people of Odisha will appreciate how their representatives can work together when needed.”
The marathon session is being particularly celebrated as a learning experience for first-time MLAs, showcasing the assembly’s capability to conduct thorough legislative discussions without disruptions. A significant part of the proceedings was the absence of 14 Congress MLAs who were serving their suspension period of seven working days since March 26.