Odisha moves Supreme Court over Andhra elections in disputed Kotia panchayat

Odisha challenges Andhra election notification in apex court

Odisha has approached the Supreme Court with a fresh contempt petition against Andhra Pradesh, accusing its neighbour of violating a longstanding judicial status quo order by announcing local elections in the Kotia panchayat.

The dispute centres on 21 villages in the Kotia group under the Pottangi tahasil of Odisha's Koraput district. The Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission issued a notification on 19 October 2026 to hold elections for Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies and Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies on 3 November.

Koraput Sub-Collector Fabi Rasheed confirmed that the Koraput District Collector filed the contempt petition in the top court. The petition asserts that conducting polls in Kotia breaches the Supreme Court's March 2006 order, which directed both states to maintain status quo until the territorial disagreement was resolved by an appropriate authority.

Decades of administrative governance and infrastructure growth

Odisha has exercised administrative control over the Kotia group of villages since 1936. While territorial claims surfaced in 1955 following the creation of Andhra Province, Odisha has consistently maintained its administrative governance and invested in regional stability.

To support the residents of Kotia, state authorities have driven major developmental projects across the area. Public investment has gone towards laying connectivity roads, constructing bridges, opening schools, and establishing government health and civic institutions to integrate the region fully into Odisha's economic progress.

Previous attempts to settle the border question through ministerial discussions and judicial proceedings under Article 131 of the Constitution led to the Supreme Court's 2006 directive to maintain status quo. Similar attempts by Andhra Pradesh to conduct village-level polls in 2021 previously brought Odisha back to the Supreme Court seeking injunctive relief.

Supreme Court issues notice on Maharashtra electoral roll petition

In a separate matter involving electoral processes, the Supreme Court on Monday sought responses from the Election Commission of India and the Maharashtra government on a petition challenging voter deletions under the Special Intensive Revision drive.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V. Mohana posted the matter for 5 November. Senior advocate Arvind Datar, representing petitioner Arun Anandagiri, informed the court that extensive urban redevelopment in cities like Mumbai and Pune had displaced residents temporarily, leading to their removal from electoral rolls as "not found" at former addresses.

The petition highlighted figures for voter roll adjustments across key urban centres in Maharashtra:

Chief Justice Surya Kant noted that the court would examine whether interim orders were required after hearing the response from the poll panel and state government, reinforcing the court's systematic oversight of legal and electoral issues nationwide.