The Supreme Court today accepted the petition filed by Odisha against the Andhra Pradesh government over the Kotia border dispute (falls under the koraput district of Odisha). The hearing in the matter will be held tomorrow.
The Odisha government has also prayed before the SC for speedy hearing in the matter. Mentioning in its petition that the apex court in 1968 had ordered to maintain status quo in the disputed area of Kotia, Odisha has sought contempt of court proceedings against Andhra Pradesh. The government had earlier written to Supreme Court’s Advocate on Record (AOR) Sibo Sankar Mishra directing him to file a writ petition in the apex court challenging Andhra Pradesh’s notification for holding of panchayat elections in three villages of Kotia in Koraput district of the state. Notably, the border dispute between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh emerged as the latter included Talaganjeipadar, Phatuseneri and Phagunaseneri villages under its Salur block and announced panchayat polls in the three villages, day before Odisha CM inaugurates a slew of projects including hospital and school in the Kotia Panchayat (via video conferencing).
It is for the first time that elections to the panchayat bodies have been announced in the block by Andhra Pradesh.
