SC asks Odisha, Andhra to resolve Kotia row amicably
BHUBANESWAR: The Supreme Court on Tuesday observed that the border row between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh over disputed Kotia should be resolved through mutual discussions.
Hearing a contempt petition filed by Odisha, the bench of Justice A M Khanwilkar and Justice Sanjiv Khanna made an oral observation that the issue should be resolved politically through talks between the two states. The apex court deferred hearing in the plea by six weeks.
Odisha’s contention was that Andhra Pradesh had violated the Supreme Court orders of December 2, 1968 and March 30, 2006, by deciding to hold panchayat elections in the three villages of Talagaanjeipadar, Phatuseneri and Phagunaseneri in Kotia panchayat, ignoring the status quo. These are among 21 villages to which both states stake claim. They are part of Pottangi block in Odisha, while Andhra claims them to be part of Salur mandal under Vizianagaram district.
Andhra Pradesh had issued notification for panchayat elections on March 5 last year and held polls in February this year. Odisha told the court that these villages are under its administrative control and in the 2019 elections, the Kotia villages had voted as part of Koraput Lok Sabha constituency and Pottangi assembly segment in Odisha.
The Supreme Court on March 30, 2006, had disposed of a suit filed by Odisha in 1968, holding that Parliament alone is authorised to determine the territorial limits of states and had ordered status quo till then. Though the order had suited Odisha, which has the administrative control now, heightened political and administrative activities in the disputed villages by the neighbouring state in the past two years has rattled Odisha.
While major political parties are yet to respond to the Supreme Court suggestion, Samajwadi Party’s Odisha unit on Tuesday wrote to Union home minister Amit Shah to convene a meeting between the chief ministers of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh in view of the court advice for a political solution to the dispute.
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