States » EastPosted at: Nov 5 2026 6:42PM


Amid border row, Odisha’s Kotia voters participate in Andhra panchayat elections

Bhubaneswar, Nov 5 (UNI) Amid heightened tension and heavy police deployment along the disputed Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border, residents of Odisha’s Kotia cluster of villages in Koraput district voted in Andhra Pradesh’s three-tier panchayat elections on Thursday, after polling booths were shifted away from the disputed territory following objections by the Odisha administration.
The polling had triggered a fresh face-off between the two States, with Koraput authorities opposing Andhra Pradesh’s move to set up a booth at Neredivalsa, arguing that the village fell within Odisha’s territorial jurisdiction. Andhra authorities subsequently relocated the polling stations to their side of the border.
Police personnel from both States were deployed along the contentious stretch to prevent any untoward incident.Koraput district officials said the administration has not stopped anyone from voting, as exercising the franchise is a constitutional right. However, they maintained that voters must participate voluntarily and not under any coercion.
With around 4,500 voters in the Kotia region, officials said it was difficult to ascertain how many had participated in the Andhra polls. Some residents, however, exercised their franchise, they added, while reporting no untoward incident.
The territorial dispute involving 21 villages in the Kotia cluster dates back to 1955, following the formation of Andhra Pradesh in 1953. Odisha approached the Supreme Court in 1968 to assert its claim over the territory. In 2006, the apex court ordered maintenance of status quo and called for an amicable settlement through an appropriate authority in accordance with law.
The dispute resurfaced in 2021 when Andhra Pradesh notified panchayat elections in the contested villages, prompting Odisha to move the Supreme Court with a contempt petition alleging violation of the status quo order. Odisha approached the apex court again in 2023 seeking adjudication. On October 23, 2026, it filed another contempt petition after Andhra Pradesh issued a fresh election notification for the disputed pockets.
Despite the prolonged territorial contest, residents of Kotia continue to receive development and welfare benefits from both States, including social security assistance and improvements in road and educational infrastructure.UNI MK AAB
Tags: #Amid border row# Odisha’s Kotia voters participate in Andhra panchayat elections
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