Koraput (SunstarTV Bureau): Andhra Pradesh government has been heading with its plan to hold the panchayat election in disputed Kotia region, despite the Odisha government wrote a letter to neighbouring state not to conduct the Gram Panchayat election.
According to sources, on Friday, Koraput district Collector Abdaal Akhtar had written a letter to his Vizianagaram (Andhra Pradesh) Collector M Hari Jawaharlal requesting the latter not to conduct the Gram Panchayat elections in Kotia as the matter is currently sub-judice in the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, Akhtar had requested Jawaharlal to desist from going ahead with any plan to allegedly conduct the election.
According to reports, elections are currently underway on Saturday in the disputed area of Kotia. Andhra Pradesh is conducting the panchayat election in five villages of Koraput and those include Madkar, Daliamba, Barnapadu, Patusineri and Konadara.
The Andhra Pradesh government has not only made efforts to cement its control over Kotia Gram Panchayat in Koraput district but also some other bordering villages in Malkangiri, Ganjam and Gajapati districts.
The neighbouring state is allegedly conducting elections at Jumadanga Gram Panchayat (GP) under Dhuliputa block in Malkangiri district, Kuladi GP under Patrapur block in Ganjam district and Gangabada GP under Raigada block in Gajapati district today.
Earlier the Odisha Government had moved the Supreme Court seeking contempt of court proceedings against Andhra Pradesh, mentioning in its petition that the apex court had earlier ordered to maintain status quo in the disputed area of Kotia.
According to sources, the people of these areas have dual voter ID and ration cards of both Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
