Orissa Legislative Assembly

An important feature of the legislature of Orissa is the Orissa Legislative Assembly that came into existence with the establishment of the Orissa Province in the year 1936. The assembly was established under the Government of India Act of 1935 and had a total strength of 60 seats. After several revisions, the assembly presently comprises of 147 seats.

Election to the first legislative assembly of Orissa was held in January, 1937. Of the total 60 seats, the Indian National Congress won 36 seats in the assembly. Four seats were reserved for the nominated members of the assembly. The sessions of the first legislative assembly of Orissa were held in the Ravenshaw College Hall at Cuttack on 28th July, 1937. Shri Mukunda Prasad Das presided over the sessions as the speaker. Shri Nanda Kishore Das was elected the deputy speaker of the assembly.

After 25 princely states merged into the Province of Orissa in 1948, the total number of seats in the assembly was increased to 91. The strength of the assembly was further increased to 140 in the year 1951. The present total of 147 was fixed in the sixth legislative assembly of Orissa held in the year 1974.

The legislative assembly in Orissa was dissolved when the President's rule was declared in the state in the year 1971 and 1976. The assembly is elected for five years unless dissolved prior to the end of the session. The thirteenth legislative assembly was elected in the year 2004 and continues its session in the present year. The present assembly has 30 committees.