BHUBANESWAR: The state Assembly was shutdown on Friday after relative of an employee tested Covid-19 positive.

Earlier, two MLAs who had attended standing committee meetings of the house had tested positive. Announcing the decision, Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro said gates of the Assembly will be opened on Monday after the weekend shutdown.

After the two MLAs tested positive, the Speaker had suspended meeting of all house committees for an indefinite period.

Government chief whip Pramila Mallik said shutdown has been announced as the Assembly will be sanitised. As two MLAs tested positive, Mallik said legislators can take the Covid test on their own if they want to.

She, however, said BJD MLAs are not going to any crowded places by obeying the advice of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and adhering to all Covid-19 guidelines.