Residents of the Kotia gram panchayat, a territory long contested by Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, crossed the state border on Thursday to cast their votes in elections held by the Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission. The polling pertained to mandal parishad and zilla parishad territorial constituencies, drawing voters from the disputed region into the neighbouring state to exercise their franchise.
The Odisha government had made significant efforts to prevent this movement, deploying 16 platoons of police and establishing three dedicated border checkpoints to restrict the entry and exit of individuals. Despite these security measures, multiple reports confirmed that several residents managed to bypass the restrictions to reach a polling booth specifically established for the Kotia villagers at Sariki, located within the Andhra Pradesh boundary.
Political discourse in the region has sharpened in the wake of the polling. Leaders from various political parties in Odisha have levelled accusations against their counterparts in Andhra Pradesh, alleging that undue influence and financial inducements were used to secure votes from the residents. Veteran Congress MLA from Koraput, Tara Prasad Bahinipati, claimed that some villagers were taken across the boundary on Wednesday specifically for the election process, returning only after casting their votes.
Bhrugu Buxipatra, a senior leader from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), confirmed that while some individuals had successfully crossed the border, the Odisha authorities had managed to prevent the establishment of any Andhra Pradesh polling booths within Odisha’s territory. Koraput Sub-Collector Fabi Rasheed confirmed the deployment of security personnel and Executive Magistrates in the border regions to maintain order. However, regarding the voting activity, the Sub-Collector noted that while villagers were seen crossing the border, officials could not definitively confirm whether they cast their votes in the Andhra Pradesh elections.
The roots of this dispute date back to the 1950s, shortly after the formation of Andhra Province. The conflict intensified in 1955 when Andhra Pradesh officials began attempting to collect land revenue from the villages. Over the decades, the situation has remained volatile, with some residents of Kotia even participating in elections for both states historically, dating back to 1954 and 1967. Given that residents often avail of welfare benefits from both governments, some individuals hold voter identity cards from both states, allowing them to cast votes depending on the respective election schedules.
Legal efforts to resolve the matter have been ongoing for years. The Odisha government first approached the Supreme Court regarding the Kotia dispute in 1968. In a more recent development, the Koraput District Collector filed a contempt petition in the Supreme Court this October, alleging that Andhra Pradesh had violated a 2006 status quo order. On March 30, 2006, the Supreme Court had disposed of the original 1968 suit, noting that it lacked jurisdiction under Article 131 of the Constitution and directed that the status quo be maintained until an appropriate authority resolved the issue.
Legal experts observe that issues falling under the purview of Article 131 are matters for Parliament to address. As the standoff continues, the presence of security forces at the border underscores the ongoing friction between the two states. With both governments continuing to assert their jurisdictional claims, the situation in Kotia remains a complex intersection of administrative dispute and the electoral participation of its residents.
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