Surama Padhy elected as Odisha Assembly Speaker

Bhubaneswar: Former minister and senior BJP leader Surama Padhy was today elected as the new Speaker of the Odisha Legislative Assembly.

She became the second woman to hold this prestigious position after Pramila Mallik.

Surma Padhy has been unanimously elected. This was announced by the Protem Speaker of the House Ranendra Pratap Swain.

The MLAs of all parties, including the Chief Minister, congratulated her after she took charge as Speaker. 

Surma Padhy filed her nomination as the only candidate for the post yesterday.

Padhy was first elected to the Odisha Assembly from the Ranpur seat in Nayagarh district on a BJP ticket in 2004. She also served as a minister of state in the BJD-BJP coalition government in Odisha from 2004 to 2009.