The Kotia dispute between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh has returned to the centre of attention after Andhra Pradesh announced a three-phase panchayat election schedule covering areas that include villages claimed by both states. Polling is scheduled for November 26, 29 and December 2, but the dates for the disputed Kotia villages have not yet been specified.
The dispute concerns 21 of the 28 villages in Kotia panchayat, located in Pottangi block of Odisha’s Koraput district. Odisha maintains that all 28 villages fall within Koraput, while Andhra Pradesh claims 21 of them and has extended administrative services to residents in several settlements.
The election schedule was announced by the Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission. The polling is expected to cover areas under Parvathipuram Manyam district, which includes villages claimed by both Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. The commission’s schedule, however, does not identify polling dates for the disputed Kotia villages.
The uncertainty has drawn attention in Odisha because previous attempts by Andhra Pradesh to conduct elections in the disputed villages had met with strong objections from the Odisha government. The latest announcement has raised concerns about the possibility of renewed confrontation between the two states if the disputed areas are included in the election process.
Pottangi tehsildar DBS Dharua said Odisha officials were monitoring the developments. “The Andhra Pradesh govt has announced rural polls on three dates in Nov and Dec, but the polling date for the disputed Kotia villages has not been declared. We are closely monitoring the developments and necessary action will be taken,” Dharua said.
Kotia is situated in the hilly border region between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh and has remained a territorial and administrative flashpoint for decades. The dispute is not limited to competing claims over land. The two states have used different names for some settlements and have sought to provide administrative services to residents, creating an overlapping governance situation in the villages.
The immediate issue is whether the disputed villages will be included in Andhra Pradesh’s panchayat election process and, if so, when polling will take place there. Odisha authorities have not announced any specific action beyond saying that developments are being closely monitored and that necessary steps will be taken.
The Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission’s three-phase polling schedule begins on November 26 and concludes on December 2. The dates for polling in the disputed Kotia villages remain unspecified in the announcement cited in the report.
