'Stop panchayat poll in Kotia', Odisha's Koraput Collector urges Andhra's Vizianagaram counterpart

Koraput (Odisha) [India], February 13 : Koraput (in Odisha) district collector Abdaal Akhtar on Friday wrote to his Vizianagaram (in Andhra Pradesh) counterpart Dr M Hari Jawaharlal requesting the latter not to conduct the gram panchayat election in Kotia, the disputed area as the matter is currently sub-judice in the Supreme Court.
Recently Andhra Pradesh has announced to hold the panchayat elections in three villages -- Talaganjeipadar, Patusineri, and Phagunseneri which are part of disputed villages in Kotia Gram Panchayat of Koraput district of Odisha.
Akhtar has requested Jawaharlal to 'desist from going ahead with any plan to allegedly conduct election inside Kotia gram panchayat of Koraput as the matter is sub-judice'.
"I am to bring to your attention that in Contempt Petition No. 172/2021 arising out of Original Suit No. 10/1968 (The State of Odisha Vs. M.Hari Jawaharlal and Others), the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India has been pleased to issue notice to the State of Andhra Pradesh and post the case to Friday, the 19th February, 2021. In its oral observations, the Court has also observed that should the State of Andhra Pradesh go ahead with its plans as regards the subject mentioned above, necessary consequences will follow. The same was pronounced in the presence of counsel for the State of Andhra Pradesh. A copy of the associated case documents have been handed over to the counsel for the State of Andhra Pradesh," Akhtar wrote in the letter.
"I am to therefore, request you that considering the Sub-Judice nature of the matter and the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India's oral observations, you may kindly desist from going ahead with any plan to allegedly conduct elections inside Kotia GP of Pottangi Block in the District of Koraput, Odisha," the official said in the letter.
The Odisha Government has moved the Supreme Court seeking contempt of court proceedings against Andhra Pradesh, mentioning in its petition that the apex court in 1968 had ordered to maintain status quo in the disputed area of Kotia.
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.
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.
Kotia dispute is a long-pending border issue between Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, both the state claims over the area which consists of 21 small tribal hamlets along with the border.