Orissa Assembly Election Results in 1961

Elections to the third term of the Legislative Assembly in Orissa were held in June 1961, after President’s rule was imposed in the state for a brief period. Owing to differences between Chief Minister Harekrushna Mahatab and the Congress party, to which he belonged, Mahatab resigned from the post of CM of Orissa in February 1961, leading to imposition of President’s rule. Fresh elections were held in June of the same year, with candidates from political parties contesting in a total of 140 Assembly constituencies, out of which 86 were for general candidates, 25 Assembly seats were reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates and 29 seats were reserved for Scheduled Tribe candidates. The Indian National Congress won a thumping majority, winning 82 out of the 140 Assembly constituencies in which it contested, and hence formed the government in the state. The All India Ganatantra Parishad followed the Congress, though lagged behind by a huge margin, winning 37 seats. Yashwant Narayan Sukthankar continued in the prestigious post of the Governor of Orissa for the first few months of the third Assembly term, before he was replaced by Padma Bhushan awardee and former Vice Chancellor of University of Roorkee, Dr. Ajudhia Nath Khosla. Dr. Khosla remained the Governor till 1966 before being replaced by Khaleell Ahommed as the Acting Governor. Dr. Khosla again took over the role of Governor till the end of the term. Lingaraj Panigrahi was the Speaker of the Orissa Vidhan Sabha during this period. The post of Chief Minister saw successive replacements during this period. Biju Ptnaik of the Congress became the Chief Minister of Orissa and remained in power till 1963, before being replaced by Biren Mitra, and finally by Sadashiva Tripathy.

During this tenure of the Congress, the state of Orissa witnessed significant economic and administrative changes, along with infrastructural developments through construction of universities, world-class schools, among other things. Some of the most important legislations passed during this time are:

• Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology Act, 1961
• Orissa Secondary Education (Amendment) Act, 1961
• Orissa Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorized Occupants) Act, 1961
• Orissa Bhoodan Yogna (Amendment) Act, 1962
• Orissa Hydro- Electric Projects and Flood Control Works (Survey) (Amendment) Act, 1962
• Government Land Settlement Act, 1962
• Orissa Tenants Relief (Amendment) Act, 1963
• Orissa Preservation of Private Forest (Amendment) Act, 1963
• Orissa Express Highway Act, 1964
• Orissa Land Reforms (Amendment) Act, 1965
• Orissa Cess (Amendment) Act, 1966

List of Successful Candidates in Orissa Assembly Election in 1961

List of Participating Political Parties in Orissa Assembly Election in 1961