Odisha’s revenue minister Suresh Pujari filed a contempt petition with the Supreme Court on October 10, after the Andhra Pradesh government issued an election notification for the villages of Phagunasineri, Ganjeipadar and Phatusineri in Kotia gram panchayat, Koraput district. The petition accuses the state of violating a Supreme Court‑issued status‑quo order that keeps the disputed area under Odisha’s control. And it names Andhra election officials and other authorities involved in the process.
Biju Janata Dal, Odisha’s main opposition, rushed the matter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 25, demanding intervention. Meanwhile, former chief minister Naveen Patnaik slammed the BJP government for allegedly letting its alliance with the Telugu Desam Party dilute its promise to settle the border dispute permanently.
The Kotia gram panchayat contains 28 villages, 21 of which both states claim. Odisha insists the entire panchayat lies within its borders, while Andhra Pradesh maintains de facto control over several settlements. The conflict dates back to the 1936 formation of Odisha province, a 1942 boundary survey that failed to resolve overlapping claims, and a 1955 incident when Andhra officials tried to collect rent from villagers in the area.
Odisha first approached the Supreme Court in 1968, but a 2006 dismissal left the dispute unresolved. A fresh original suit was filed in January 2022, and Andhra’s 2021 panchayat elections in the contested villages prompted yet another contempt petition. The court’s status‑quo order still bars any administrative action that would alter jurisdiction.
The Supreme Court is slated to hear the petition next month, and its ruling could either uphold the status quo, mandate a boundary commission, or order a halt to the elections until a final decision is reached.