BHUBANESWAR: An allegation of sexual harassment levelled against Orissa Assembly Speaker Maheshwar Mohanty by a woman marshal led to the adjournment of the House twice after he sought an impartial inquiry into the charge.

As soon as the House assembled Wednesday morning, the speaker made a suo motu statement on the media reports about charges of sexual harassment of a woman marshal of the assembly levelled against him and proposed setting up of a House Committee to probe the matter.

Terming the allegation as false and baseless, he said it "conspiracy in which important persons were involved".

Mohanty left the chair which was subsequently occupied by Deputy Speaker Prahallad Dora.

While terming the Speaker's action as a "dignified' move, Congress leader Narasingha Mishra said an inquiry into the matter was a must but probe by a House Committee would be meaningless.

Meanwhile Parliamentary Affairs Minister Raghunath Mohanty supported the Speaker's suggestion for a probe, Mishra and NCP's Arun Dey suggested adjournment of the House for holding discussion on the issue in the Speaker's chamber to decide the nature of any probe.