Pramila Mallik set to become first woman Speaker of Odisha Assembly

Bhubaneswar: Binjharpur MLA Pramila Mallik is all set to become the first woman Speaker of Odisha Assembly.

The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) today announced that it would field Mallik, who is now serving as the Revenue Minister, as its candidate for the Speaker’s post.

As the ruling party has absolute majority in Odisha Assembly, Mallik will not face any major hurdle in her election to the Spearker’s post on September 22, said a political observer.

The Speaker post in Odisha Assembly has been falling vacant ever since the resignation of Bikram Keshari Arukha in May this year.

The Bhanjanagar MLA was inducted into the Council of Ministers in Odisha soon after his resignation from the Speakers post.

Earlier, it was announced that the election to the Speaker’s post would be conducted on September 21.

However, the election has been rescheduled to September 22 as the Opposition Congress and BJP had threatened to boycott the poll on September 21 citing the Nuakhai festival in Odisha.