Kotia row: Odisha gears up for legal battle with Andhra

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Government geared up for legal battle with Andhra Pradesh over Kotia Panchayat election with the Revenue and Disaster Management Department writing a letter to Koraput Collector seeking all relevant documents to support the case.

In the letter to Koraput Collector Mohammed Abdaal Akhtar, Revenue and Disaster Management Additional Secretary Sailendra Dwivedi said, “I am directed to request you to arrange all relevant documents pertaining to Ganjaipadar (Ganjaibadra), Phatusineri (Pattuchennuru) and Phagunasinery (Paguluchinnuru) under Kotiya Gram Panchayat to prove beyond sustainable doubt that Odisha has been continuously holding elections (Parliament Constituency, Assembly Constituency and Panchayat Elections) in these villages prior to December 2, 1968.”

The Collector was also asked to arrange other documents on various development programmes as will be required by Advocate-on-Record (AOR) to defend the state of Odisha.

“The state Government desires that optimum efforts should be given in to defend the interest of the State,” the letter reads.

Earlier on February 12, while hearing a contempt petition filled by the Odisha, Supreme Court directed Andhra Pradesh Government to file a response  and the matter was next posted for hearing on February 19.