Odisha decides to have Legislative Council

Odisha Channel Bureau Bhubaneswar, Jan 2: Government of Odisha today started the process for establishment of a Legislative Council in the State.This was announced by State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Bikram Keshari Arukha after he held a meeting with the Secretary of his Department and Secretary of the Odisha Legislative Council.Arukha told journalists after the meeting that the State Government has decided to constitute a State Legislative Council following demand in this regard by people belonging to various sections of the society.The Minister said a five-member committee of legislators will be set up soon, and the committee will visit some of the States that have Legislative Councils this month to study their functioning and submit a report to the State government.The process by the State Government to have a bicameral legislature will end with passage of a resolution demanding creation of the council in the State Legislative Assembly with no less than two-thirds of the members lending their support to it.The resolution passed as per the provisions of Article 169 of the Constitution will be sent to the Centre as a recommendation and Parliament would pass a law for creation of the Legislative Council.The State Government’s move to have a Legislative Council is likely to face criticism from opposition parties as the ruling party had recently passed a motion in the State Assembly to decrease the number of sitting days of the House from 60 days in a calendar year.