Odisha Assembly passes University (Amendment) Bill after marathon 16-hour debate
By Sukanta Kumar Mohanty
Bhubaneswar, April 3: In a session that stretched into the early hours of Thursday, the Odisha Legislative Assembly passed the Odisha Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2024, following an intense 16-hour, 6-minute debate. The bill was approved at approximately 4:29 AM after a marathon discussion led by the Mohan Charan Majhi government.
Introduced on Wednesday afternoon by Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj, the bill was immediately taken up for deliberation. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida remained present throughout the extended proceedings.
The debate saw strong resistance from senior Biju Janata Dal (BJD) legislators—including Ranendra Pratap Swain, Arun Kumar Sahoo, Ganeswar Behera, and Dhruba Sahoo—who proposed multiple amendments and attempted to challenge the ruling government. Despite their efforts, Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj maintained his composure, systematically addressing their concerns.
The session witnessed active participation from nearly all ruling party MLAs and ministers. BJD MLA Arun Kumar Sahoo led the opposition, speaking against the bill for over three hours, while Ranendra Pratap Swain and Ganeswar Behera debated for one and a half hours and over an hour, respectively. Minister Suraj defended the bill for nearly an hour, with additional support from BJP legislators.
Following the bill’s passage, Minister Suraj emphasized its importance, stating:
“The Odisha Universities (Amendment) Bill was passed today after an extensive 12.5-hour debate. This legislation will help fill university vacancies, restore autonomy, and facilitate the implementation of the New Education Policy.”
However, the Opposition remained critical. BJD MLA Arun Kumar Sahoo condemned the bill’s passage, arguing that the BJP government had rushed it through.
“The University Act was enacted in 1989 and amended after 31 years in 2020 under the BJD government. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has since challenged the 2020 amendment in the Supreme Court, and the case remains pending. The validity of this new amendment will likely face scrutiny in the Apex Court as well,” Sahoo remarked.
In contrast, BJP MLA Irasis Acharya hailed the bill as a transformative step for higher education in the state.
“Democracy has been strengthened in the Odisha Assembly since the BJP came to power. The passage of this bill, following a rigorous 12.5-hour debate, marks a revolutionary change for Odisha’s universities,” Acharya asserted.
Following the passage of the Odisha Universities (Amendment) Bill, the Assembly also approved the Odisha Highway Authority Bill, 2025.
Photograph: Odisha Legislative Assembly
—
