Kotia rural polls : Odisha set to challenge AP s move in SC

Odisha will approach SupremeCourt challenging the notification issued by Andhra PradeshState Election Commission to hold rural polls in threevillages under Kotia gram panchayat in its tribal Koraputdistrict.

Andhra Pradesh has fixed February 13 and 17 forholding the rural polls in the three villages.

The deputy secretary to the law department BhagabanNayak has written to the advocate on record (AOR) Sibo SankarMishra asking him to file the petition.

Mishra is the SC lawyer empanelled by the governmentof Odisha to appear for it in cases at the apex court.

Both states have been claiming their rights over theKotia gram panchayat which comprise of 28 villages.

While Odisha claims that the three village are in itsjurisdiction, Andhra Pradesh avers that they are located underSalur mandal in Vizianagaram district.

Odisha government has been objecting to Andhra Pradeshgovernments alleged move to lure the inhabitants of the Kotiacluster of villages by giving them additional rations andother benefits.

A case of border dispute between the two states overKotia cluster of villages is sub-judice in SC Supreme Court.

Andhra pradesh State Election Commission has issuednotification to hold panchayat elections in Talaganjeipadar,Phatuseneri and Phagunaseneri villages of Kotia gram panchayaton February 13 and 17.

Filing of nomination papers for it had concluded onThursday, official sources said.

Meanwhile, Odisha Advocate General Ashok Parija onSunday had a meeting with Koraput collector Madhusudan Mishra,ADM Deben Kumar Pradhan, Koraput panchayat officer and PublicProsecutor Bishnu Charan Patra.

Odisha Revenue and Disaster Minister Sudam Marandi hadsaid that the state government will not allow an inch of itsland to be misused by anybody including Andhra Pradeshgovernment.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik recently inauguratedRs 18 crore development projects for Kotia gram panchayat andlaid the foundation stone for other projects worth Rs fivecrore for the region.

In 2018 Patnaik had announced a Rs 150 croredevelopment package for Kotia and pledged to make it a modelgram panchayat in the country.