Vizianagaram district administration organised the rural polls in Kotia panchayat as ‘peaceful’.

Kotia:13/2/21: Despite the Supreme Court’s directive to the Andhra Pradesh government to file a reply after the Odisha government moved the apex court alleging that the neighbouring state is holding panchayat polls in some villages under Kotia panchayat of Koraput district, the Andhra Pradesh State authorities remained defiant and organized the rural polls in the three villages of Odisha as per their plan. The Vizianagaram district administration officials termed the rural polls in the villages under Kotia panchayat as ‘peaceful’.

Worth mentioning, Andhra Pradesh State renamed the three villages under Kotia panchayat of Pottangi block in Koraput district and claimed stake over them. Above all, the neighboring state notified to hold panchayat polls in Talaganjeipadar, Phatuseneri and Phagunaseneri villages and projected them to be under its Salur block in Vizianagaram district. Following this, the Odisha government moved the apex court seeking its intervention into the matter. But the Andhra Pradesh Administration remained adamant and held polls in the three Odisha villages today despite the fact that the matter is sub judice.