Odisha Speaker Surama Padhy dismisses BJD, Congress petitions seeking disqualification of 11 MLAs (opens original article in a new tab)

Odisha Speaker Surama Padhy dismissed petitions from BJD and Congress seeking disqualification of 11 MLAs over cross-voting during Rajya Sabha election, citing lack of statutory validity.

• Odisha Speaker Surama Padhy dismissed petitions from BJD and Congress seeking disqualification of 11 MLAs over cross-voting during Rajya Sabha election
• The dismissed MLAs included eight BJD and three Congress members who did not vote for Datteswar Hota, a candidate backed by both parties
• Speaker ruled that petitions lacked statutory validity and did not meet requirements for further consideration
• BJD alleged some MLAs engaged in anti-party activities and cross-voting against party whip