The Odisha Government on Tuesday geared up for its legal battle in the Supreme Court with Andhra Pradesh over the Kotia panchayat election issue with the State Revenue and Disaster Management Department writing a letter to the Koraput district Collector seeking all relevant documents to support the State’s 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 Kotia gram panchayat to prove beyond sustainable doubt that Odisha has been continuously holding elections (Parliament, Assembly and Panchayat) in these villages prior to December 2, 1968.”
The Collector was also asked to arrange other documents on various development programmes as would be required by Advocate-on-Record (AoR) to defend Odisha in the Supreme Court“The state Government desires that optimum efforts should be given in to defend the interest of the State,” the letter stated. Earlier on February 12, while hearing a contempt petition filed by the Odisha Government, the Supreme Court directed the Andhra Pradesh Government to file a response and the matter was next posted for hearing on February 19.
The apex court, however, did not act in staying the panchayat polls being conducted by the Andhra Pradesh Government in Kotia GP. While one phase of the elections was held on February 13, another is scheduled for Wednesday (February 17).