Jeypore: Tensions flared once again in the disputed Kotia region along the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border on Tuesday after a heated face-off between police forces of the two states at the Neridivalasa checkpost in Koraput district.
The confrontation was triggered by escalating disputes over upcoming local body elections announced by Andhra Pradesh in the contested cluster of villages.
According to sources, Andhra Pradesh police personnel allegedly attempted to enter the Kotia area and break through barricades erected by Odisha authorities to restrict unauthorised movement and electoral activities. Odisha police stopped them, leading to a tense verbal exchange. The Andhra Pradesh personnel also reportedly argued with Koraput Sub-Collector and Pattangi Tehsildar who had rushed to the spot.
The incident followed the previous day’s interception by Odisha police of an Andhra Pradesh-registered truck laden with PDS rice near the same checkpost, which itself sparked a heated exchange.
The latest flare-up is rooted in Andhra Pradesh’s decision to hold Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituency and Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituency elections on November 5 in the disputed villages, despite strong objections from Odisha. Both states claim administrative jurisdiction over 21 of the 28 villages in the Kotia panchayat, a decades-old territorial dispute pending before the Supreme Court since 1968. Residents of the area often hold dual voter identity cards and have received benefits from both governments. Odisha maintains that the villages form an integral part of its territory and has filed a contempt petition in the Supreme Court, alleging that Andhra Pradesh’s poll notification violates a 2006 apex court order directing both states to maintain the status quo.
In response, the Koraput district administration has significantly tightened security. Seven platoons of police have been deployed in the region, with the strength set to increase on polling day. Round-the-clock surveillance is being maintained at three police posts — Neridivalasa, Talasembi and Phatuseneri cHhak — to monitor cross-border movement and prevent administrative or electoral encroachment. The administration is simultaneously prioritising local development and resolving villagers’ grievances to build public trust.
Minister Speaks
“When Andhra Pradesh attempted to hold panchayat elections in Kotia in 2021, and again now after five years, they are violating the status quo ordered by the Supreme Court. We have filed a fresh contempt petitions against the State Election Commissioner, District Collector, and Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh for undermining judicial authority,” Odisha Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari told the media, adding to polling booths have been allowed in the region.
Pujari praised the collective resolve shown by political parties, local residents, social organisations, and administrative officials in Koraput district.
In a rare display of political solidarity, leaders from opposing parties—including Congress MLA and legislative party leader Ramachandra Kadam, Jeypore MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati, and Bharatiya Janata Party local MLA Raghuram—have united across party lines to oppose Andhra’s electoral maneuverers.
The Minister noted that local administration, led by Koraput Sub-Collector and senior officials, has maintained a robust ground presence. Unlike Andhra Pradesh authorities, who allegedly make fleeting visits and reportedly attempted to influence voters with rice allocations and heavy police deployment near the border, the Odisha government and district administration stand by the residents through all 365 days of the year, including during natural calamities and relief operations, he said.
Expressing deep concern over Andhra’s administrative overreach, Pujari pointed out the absurdity of having overlapping jurisdictions in a single area. “If a specific region starts having two competing sarpanchs, two ward members, and overlapping administrative setups from two states, it creates a total collapse of constitutional machinery,” he warned.
Reiterating the state’s resolute stance, the Revenue Minister affirmed that the Odisha government is fully prepared to take all necessary measures—legal, administrative, and diplomatic—to safeguard Kotia’s sovereignty. “Odisha was the first linguistic state in independent India, and Kotia was a part of it yesterday, is a part of it today, and will remain a part of it tomorrow. No power on earth can take Kotia away from Odisha,” he concluded.
