Two officers, one disputed border: Odisha moves into Kotia as Andhra's poll calendar reaches the edge

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government will deploy officials from its Police and Revenue departments in the disputed Kotia region to monitor Andhra Pradesh's activities and assess development works, following the neighbouring state's decision to hold panchayat elections in the area, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said on Tuesday.
One official each from the two departments will be stationed in Kotia and submit regular reports to the state government on developments, Andhra Pradesh's activities and Odisha's ongoing projects. Pujari said the government would explore legal options in the Supreme Court to protect Odisha's territorial interests.
Kotia, in Koraput district along the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border, has been disputed for decades. Kotia panchayat comprises 28 villages; Odisha maintains all 28 belong to it, while Andhra Pradesh claims 21 and has extended administrative services to residents. The matter reached the Supreme Court in 1968, when it directed both states to maintain status quo.
BJD president and Leader of the Opposition Naveen Patnaik had written to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday, expressing concern over Andhra Pradesh's proposed rural local body elections in the region and questioning whether the BJP's alliance with the TDP was affecting Odisha's response.
The Congress also criticised the government's alleged silence. Koraput MP Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, Pottangi MLA Ram Chandra Kadam and Jeypore MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati questioned the state government's position. Andhra Pradesh has announced rural polls in three phases on November 26, 29 and December 2.
The review meeting was attended by the Koraput Collector and Superintendent of Police, the Southern Revenue Divisional Commissioner, the Advocate General, the Law Secretary and senior Revenue Department officials. Odisha first approached the Supreme Court in 1968, when the court directed status quo; a contempt petition and a curative petition followed in 2006 after an adverse ruling, and an original suit filed by Odisha in January 2022 remains pending.