Dikhyaa Mohanty 
Pramila Mallik, a minister for revenue and disaster management in the state of Odisha, is slated to become the state’s first female speaker of the Legislative Assembly.
Mallik, a six-time BJD legislator who sits in the Schedule Caste (SC)-reserved Binjharpur constituency, would present BJD’s application for the Speaker’s position on Thursday.
Mallik will hold office for less than a year, but her election is certain given the BJD’s dominance in the House. Since Bikram Keshari Arukha left his position as Speaker on May 12 to join Naveen Patnaik’s Cabinet, the position has remained empty.
