Odisha vs Andhra over Kotia: Naveen Patnaik turns up heat on Mohan Majhi govt

The Kotia dispute is a decades-old disagreement over which state controls villages in Kotia panchayat, in Koraput district. Odisha maintains that all 28 villages belong to it. Andhra Pradesh claims 21 of them. The issue matters because territorial control affects elections, administration, public services, and the states’ competing claims over residents.

A key example is Andhra Pradesh identifying several settlements by different names and extending administrative services to their residents. Odisha considers the villages part of Koraput, while Andhra Pradesh includes them within its own administrative reach. The Supreme Court directed both states to maintain the status quo in 1968, but tensions rose after Andhra held panchayat elections there in February 2021.

The dispute remains active. Andhra Pradesh has announced rural polls covering a district that includes villages claimed by both states, although dates for the disputed Kotia villages are unspecified. Odisha is monitoring developments, while political leaders are demanding action and dialogue to protect the state’s territorial integrity.

Kotia panchayat has 28 villages and falls under Pottangi block in Odisha’s Koraput district. The number is central to the dispute because the two states do not agree on the panchayat’s territorial boundaries or administrative ownership.

Odisha maintains that all 28 villages belong to Koraput. Andhra Pradesh claims 21 villages and provides administrative services to residents in settlements it identifies by different names. This competing use of names and services shows how the dispute operates in practice, beyond a disagreement on a map.

The issue could become more visible during Andhra Pradesh’s announced rural elections. The polls will cover Parvathipuram Manyam district, which includes villages claimed by both states, although polling dates for the disputed Kotia villages have not been specified. Odisha officials say they are monitoring developments and will take necessary action.

The Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission has announced rural panchayat elections in three phases. They are scheduled for November 26, 29, and December 2. The announcement has revived attention on Kotia because the election area includes Parvathipuram Manyam district, where villages claimed by both Odisha and Andhra Pradesh are located.

The key uncertainty is that polling dates for the disputed Kotia villages have not been specified. If those villages are included, an election conducted by Andhra Pradesh could reinforce its administrative presence and territorial claim. The dispute is especially sensitive because the Supreme Court directed both states to maintain the status quo in 1968.

For now, Pottangi tehsildar DBS Dharua said the administration was monitoring developments and that necessary action would be taken. Odisha’s government faces pressure from Naveen Patnaik, Congress leaders, and local representatives to clarify its response before polling arrangements develop further.

The Supreme Court’s 1968 direction required Odisha and Andhra Pradesh to maintain the status quo in the Kotia dispute. In practical terms, the states were expected not to change the existing administrative position or take steps that could strengthen one side’s claim while the boundary disagreement continued.

The instruction became important again in February 2021, when Andhra Pradesh held panchayat elections in the disputed villages. Odisha then approached the Supreme Court, alleging that the elections violated the status quo direction. The episode showed how local government actions can become part of a larger territorial dispute.

The original disagreement has not been settled. Andhra Pradesh’s latest election announcement covers a district containing villages claimed by both states, but dates for disputed Kotia villages have not been specified. Odisha officials are monitoring developments, while political leaders are urging action through legal, administrative, diplomatic, or dialogue-based channels.

If Andhra Pradesh holds local elections or provides services in villages Odisha claims, the dispute could become more difficult to manage. Such actions may strengthen Andhra’s practical control and create competing records of administration, even while Odisha maintains that the villages belong to Koraput.

The article gives a concrete precedent. Andhra Pradesh held panchayat elections in the disputed villages in February 2021. Odisha responded by approaching the Supreme Court and alleging a violation of the 1968 direction that both states maintain the status quo. Andhra also extends administrative services to residents and uses different names for several settlements.

The immediate risk is renewed political and legal tension, not a stated change in ownership. Polling dates for the disputed villages have not been announced, and Odisha says it is monitoring developments. Congress leaders have warned of mass agitation, while the BJP says the issue should be handled administratively and diplomatically.

The dispute is politically sensitive because the Telugu Desam Party governs Andhra Pradesh and is a crucial ally of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre. The article says the party’s support helps sustain the Centre’s majority. That creates a political relationship involving the governments on both sides of the Kotia dispute.

Naveen Patnaik asked Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi whether this dependence explained Odisha’s silence and willingness to compromise state interests. He also questioned whether the BJP’s pre-2024 promise that a “double engine government” would resolve Kotia had become merely an electoral slogan. Congress leaders raised similar concerns about the government’s response.

The political sensitivity remains unresolved. BJP functionary Goutam Samantaray said the government was committed to Odisha’s territorial integrity and was monitoring developments. He argued that the dispute should be handled through administrative and diplomatic channels rather than politicised, while opposition leaders continue pressing for action.

Indian state boundaries are normally changed through a constitutional process led by Parliament, usually after consultation with the affected state legislature. The Union government can introduce a boundary-change proposal, while Parliament decides whether to approve it. States may negotiate, but a local administration cannot settle an inter-state boundary on its own.

Courts can interpret applicable law, examine disputes, and issue binding directions. In a case such as Kotia, a court may order parties to preserve the existing position while proceedings continue. State governments can present records, negotiate, and follow legal directions. District officials and local bodies can deliver services and conduct authorised elections, but their actions should not contradict a binding court order.

The article reports that the Supreme Court ordered Odisha and Andhra Pradesh to maintain status quo in 1968. It also describes Andhra’s 2021 elections and the current monitoring of developments. Any lasting settlement would require lawful action by the competent governments, consistent with court directions and the applicable constitutional process.