SC seeks reply from Andhra Govt for holding panchayat polls in Odisha's Koraput
Feb 12, 2021
New Delhi [India], January 12 : The Supreme Court on Friday sought replies from the Andhra Pradesh government for holding the elections in three villages of Kotiya gram panchayat in Koraput district of Odisha.
A bench of the Apex Court, headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar was seeking a reply after hearing the contempt petition filed by the Odisha government against the Andhra Pradesh stating that holding elections in Koraput is a clear "violation" of the Apex Court's earlier order.
The Odisha state government, in its petition, before the Supreme Court, alleged that the Andhra Pradesh government has allegedly notified panchayat polls in three villages of Kotiya gram panchayat in Koraput.
Senior advocate and former Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Vikas Singh, and lawyer Sibo Sankar Mishra, today appeared for the Odisha state government, whereas, lawyer, Mahfooz Nazki, appeared for the Andhra Pradesh site government, before the Supreme Court.
Nazki told the Apex Court that he had to make two preliminary objections in the matter, to which, Justice Khanwilkar asked him to file his submissions before the Apex Court, and fixed the matter for further hearing till next Friday.
The Odisha government had moved the Apex Court, seeking a direction from it for a stay on the notification issued by Andhra Pradesh for holding elections in three villages of the Kotiya Panchayat in Koraput district in Odisha. It pleaded the Apex court to issue a notice to Andhra Pradesh government as to why contempt proceedings not be initiated against it for allegedly not complying with the Supreme Court's earlier order of 1968 and 2006.
The Odisha state government, also sought that the Apex Court should also initiate the contempt proceedings against the Andhra Pradesh government for allegedly not complying with the earlier order of this Apex Court.
The Odisha government, in its petition filed before the Apex Court, submitted that Andhra Pradesh had allegedly willfully and deliberately violated the Supreme Court order of December 2, 1968, and the judgement of March 30, 2006, by transgressing into Odisha's territory.
The Odisha government claimed in its petition that the Apex court had in its verdict in 1968 and 2006 had asked both the states -- Odisha and Andhra Pradesh -- to maintain a status quo with regard to the boundary dispute related to Kotia group of villages in Koraput district.
