Bhubaneswar: Odisha Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy on Tuesday suspended 12 Congress legislators for seven days over “indiscipline” in the Assembly and disrupting legislative proceedings. The action against the Congress MLAs came after the Assembly adopted a motion moved by government Chief Whip Saroj Pradhan.

The suspended MLAs are Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Rama Chandra Kadam, Sagar Charan Das, Mangu Khilla, Satyajeet Gomango, Ashok Kumar Das, Dasarathi Gamango, Sofia Firdous, C S Rajan Ekka, Nilamadhab Hikaka, Prafulla Pradhan and Pabitra Saunta.

As soon as the Speaker announced the decision, the Congress members created a ruckus in the Assembly, beating gongs as a mark of protest.

Except for Taraprasad Bahinipati and Ramesh Chandra Jena, the remaining 12 Congress MLAs were suspended for seven working days.