Orissa Assembly Speaker decides no to preside the House

Bhubaneswar,Mar 21 (UNI) Paying respect to the parliamentary and democratic tradition, Orissa Assembly Speaker Maheswar Mohanty today decided not to preside over the Assembly proceedings till the debate on the Opposition motion for his removal was discussed in the House.

Mr Mohanty made the observation after Congress Chiefwhip Satya Bhusan Sahu urged him not to preside over the chair following a criminal case pending against him for violation of code of conduct.

He also drew the Chair's attention to a no confidence motion moved by the Opposition in the wake of criminal case filed against him at the direction of the State Election Commission (SEC) for using the Assembly vehicle for carrying party posters during the Panchayat elections.

The entire Opposition, barring the JMM, today boycotted the Governor's speech on the opening day of the short session of the Assembly to press their demand.

The Speaker asked the Opposition members to apply their conscience before pressing for no confidence motion against him in the House and clarified all the four allegations levelled against him.

On the violation of code of conduct, the Speaker said the State Election Commission(SEC) had called for an explanation from him through his Secretary on a false case and ordered a crime branch inquiry into the case.

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