Bhubaneswar: Speaker of Odisha Legislative Assembly (OLA), Surjya Narayan Patro on Friday expressed shock and displeasure on Centre’s reply that it has not receiving any resolution from the Odisha Government on setting up of Vidhan Parishad (Legislative Council).
Union Minister of Law and Justice, Kiren Rijiju on Thursday informed Parliament that the Centre is yet to receive any resolution adopted for formation of Legislative Council or Vidhan Parishad in Odisha.
Expressing dismay over this statement of Mr.Rijiju, Speaker Mr.Patro said it was forwarded way back in 2018 after the State Assembly passed a resolution to that effect.
Speaking to reporters here, Mr.Patro said the Assembly had passed the resolution on September 6, 2018 and the same was sent to the Centre on September 18, 2018.
The Assembly resolution was submitted to the Secretary General of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and also to the Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Law & Justice, he said.
“It is shocking to know that the Centre has not received any resolution passed by the Odisha Assembly for setting up the legislative council,” Mr.Patro said.
Speaker Mr.Patro also pointed out that the Assembly had in the past responded to Parliament’s query on this matter.
The then Assembly Secretary Amiya Kumar Sarangi had written the letters to the Secretary General of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and also to the Secretary, Ministry of Law and Justice and Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.
“I am directed to inform that the Odisha Legislative Assembly in their meeting held on 06.09.2018 have passed the following Resolution by a majority of the total membership of the Assembly and by a majority of more than two thirds of the Members of the Assembly present and voting under Article 169 (I) of the Constitution of India,” Mr.Sarangi had said in the letter.
“That this Assembly resolves that the Legislative Council may be created in the State of Odisha and that necessary Legislation may be passed under clause (I) of Article 169 of the Constitution of India, containing such provisions for the amendment of the Constitution as may be necessary to give effect to the provisions of the Law and also such supplemental, incidental and consequential provisions as the Parliament may deem necessary,” noted the letter.
State Legislative Assembly Secretariat sources said that the resolution was passed in the absence of the opposition Congress and the BJP in the House.
A total of 104 legislators in the 147-member House, including Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, had voted in favour of the resolution.
Currently, only six states in India — Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh — have Vidhan Parishad or legislative council.