Former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has challenged the current Odisha government over what he characterized as silence regarding an election notification issued by neighboring Andhra Pradesh for disputed border villages in Kotia, according to reporting by The Hindu — National.
The administrative dispute over Kotia Gram Panchayat has persisted for decades, with both Odisha and Andhra Pradesh actively claiming jurisdiction over 21 of the 28 villages in the area. The latest friction emerged after Andhra Pradesh authorities moved ahead with election notifications encompassing the contested territory.
Border Tensions Over Kotia Panchayat
The cluster of settlements in the Kotia Gram Panchayat has long stood at the center of jurisdictional disagreements between the two neighboring states. While the gram panchayat comprises 28 villages in total, ownership and administrative control over 21 of those locations remain contested.
Both state governments have previously attempted to establish local governance, provide public services, and conduct official exercises in the area. These overlapping efforts have routinely generated friction between state machineries, with administrative measures from one side frequently drawing formal protests or political pushback from the other.
Opposition Scrutiny on State Response
Patnaik raised questions regarding the state administration's posture following Andhra Pradesh's decision to issue the poll notification for the contested villages. The former chief minister questioned why the current government in Odisha had not taken a vocal stance against the administrative move across the border.
The status of the 21 villages remains a sensitive regional issue, as both states maintain historical and administrative claims. The notification for elections in the contested area once again brings the unresolved territorial matter to the forefront of state politics, placing immediate focus on how the Odisha administration intends to respond to the neighbor state's administrative actions.
