Bhubaneswar, (Reporterspen), July 29: On Monday, the Odisha Congress filed a breach of privilege notice against Chief Minister Mohan Majhi for announcing a 10% reservation for Agniveers in all uniformed services outside the Assembly during the ongoing Budget session.
Sources indicate that Speaker Surama Padhi accepted the notice during Zero Hour, leading to a commotion in the House. Both Opposition BJD and Congress members created a disturbance while Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Mahaling read out the announcement made by CM Majhi.
Due to the disruption, the Speaker was unable to proceed with the session and adjourned the House until 4 PM.
In response, BJP MLA Irasis Acharya also filed a breach of privilege notice against senior Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati. Acharya criticized the Congress for discussing Assembly matters outside the House without the Speaker’s consent, highlighting the importance of confidentiality regarding Assembly proceedings.
On Sunday, Congress had announced its intention to file the breach of privilege notice against CM Majhi, arguing that such announcements should not be made outside the Assembly. Congress leader Bahinipati asserted that the Chief Minister’s actions violated parliamentary rules, which only permit such announcements within the Assembly session.
Opposition deputy whip Pratap Deb echoed these concerns, criticizing the Chief Minister and cabinet members for their perceived inexperience and procedural errors. He suggested that addressing the issue through a breach of privilege motion was a valid course of action.
