Bhubaneswar, September 22: The Odisha Assembly was adjourned till 4 PM on Monday as the opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) legislators staged a loud protest over the alleged curtailment of powers of local representatives in blocks under the Panchayati Raj system in the State.

This marked the fourth consecutive day of adjournment of the ongoing Monsoon Session of the State Assembly since the start of the session on September 18.

Even before the House assembled at 10.30 AM for Question Hour, the BJD MLAs were present in the well holding placards and raising slogans against the BJP Government, protesting its decision of increasing the financial powers of the BDOs and curtailing the powers of shrinking the authority of Zilla Parishads, Panchayat Samitis, and Gram Panchayat representatives in the three-tire panchayati raj systems in the State.

The House could function for only seven minutes, with Speaker Surama Padhy adjourning the proceedings till 4 PM as her repeated requests to the agitating members to return to their seats fell on deaf ears.

For the context, the BJD, the main opposition force in the State has been strongly opposing the State Government’s decision to increase the powers of the Block Development Officers (BDOs) to pass bills up to Rs 10 lakh without counter signature by the panchayat samiti chairpersons.