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Bhubaneswar, November 5: Amid tensions and heavy security along the disputed Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border, residents of the Kotia group of villages in Koraput district exercised their franchise in Andhra Pradesh’s three-tier panchayat elections on Thursday.
The polling booths were shifted away from the disputed territory following objections from the Odisha administration, triggering a fresh confrontation between the two neighbouring states.
Koraput district authorities had strongly opposed Andhra Pradesh’s move to establish a polling booth at Neredivalsa, maintaining that the village falls within Odisha’s territorial jurisdiction. Following the objection, Andhra Pradesh authorities relocated the polling booths to locations on their side of the border.
Police personnel from both states were deployed along the contentious border stretch to maintain law and order and prevent any untoward incidents during polling.
Koraput district officials said the administration had not prevented anyone from casting their vote, emphasising that exercising the franchise was a constitutional right. However, they stressed that voters must be allowed to participate voluntarily and without any pressure or coercion.
With nearly 4,500 voters in the Kotia region, officials said it was difficult to establish the exact number of residents who participated in the Andhra Pradesh elections. While some villagers exercised their franchise, no untoward incident was reported during polling, they added.
Polling Figures
The polling details reported from five villages are as follows:
The longstanding territorial dispute over 21 villages in the Kotia cluster dates back to 1955, following the formation of Andhra Pradesh in 1953. The dispute remains unresolved and is currently pending before the Supreme Court.
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