Odisha and Andhra Pradesh Police Clashing at Border Over Local Polls

UPDATE - follow-up to Odisha, Andhra Pradesh police enter into tussle over Kotia villages dispute: Police personnel from Odisha and Andhra Pradesh clashed at an inter-State border point on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, amid an escalating territorial dispute over the Kotia group of villages in Odisha's Koraput district.

The Clash And Poll Dispute

The latest confrontation erupted as Andhra Pradesh prepared to hold elections on November 5 for Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies and Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies in the Kotia region. Around 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, Andhra Pradesh officials and security personnel tried to enter Kotia through Neredibalasa, a border village, but faced barricades and Odisha police personnel. On Monday, Odisha police had stopped a truck-load of rice packets at the border. Andhra officials maintained they had every right to conduct polls in the area, while Odisha stated the villages form an inseparable part of its territory and noted a Supreme Court status quo order has been in force since 2006.

Official Actions And Reactions

To prevent law and order problems, Koraput District Collector Manoj Satyawan Mahajan imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, across all 21 villages of Kotia gram panchayat under Pottangi tehsil. An all-party meeting on October 29 had resolved to block Andhra polling teams. Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari alleged that Andhra Pradesh was trying to create a constitutional crisis by holding elections inside Odisha, adding that Odisha has filed a fresh contempt petition in the Supreme Court. Minister Pujari also claimed Andhra officials made brief visits to influence voters through rice distribution. Koraput Sub-Collector Fabi Rasheed said the situation is under control, with seven police platoons and nine executive magistrates deployed. Meanwhile, Biju Janata Dal spokesperson Lenin Mohanty compared the border tussle to the India-Pakistan border and blamed the Union government for remaining silent.

Context

The dispute over the Kotia group of villages has a long history dating back to the pre-independence era and involves conflicting administrative claims, revenue collection records, and boundary demarcations between the two states. Both Odisha and Andhra Pradesh have historically claimed jurisdiction over the area, leading to legal battles in the Supreme Court and ongoing local tensions during election cycles.