BHUBANESWAR: With the Supreme Court set to resume hearing on the contempt petition against Andhra Pradesh over Kotia border dispute in the third week of March, the State government has decided to seek legal opinion of former judge of the apex court Justice Ananga Kumar Patnaik to bolster its case.
On the advice of Advocate General Ashok Parija, Principal Secretary, Revenue and Disaster Management Bishnupada Sethi has directed Koraput Collector Abdaal Muhammed Akhtar to discuss the matter with Justice Patnaik. Abdaal has been asked to supply all relevant documents to Justice Patnaik.The government thought it wise to take the assistance of Justice Patnaik, who is considered to be among the best legal minds in Constitutional law, to strengthen its side in the apex court.
While the contempt petition is pending in apex court against the decision of Andhra Pradesh government to hold panchayat election in three Koita panchayat villages - Talaganjeipadar, Phatuseneri and Phagunaseneri - on February 13, repeated intrusion of Andhra Pradesh into Odisha territory violating an earlier judgement of the Supreme Court has created tension in the border villages.
The contempt petition relates to Kotia group of villages which was a subject matter of an original suit filed by Orissa (as it was called then) in 1968 against the undivided state of Andhra Pradesh. In 2006, the apex court dismissed the suit as non-maintainable under Article 131 of the Constitution. However, the court had ordered to maintain status quo in the region.
Meanwhile, Sethi has directed district collectors of Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Gajapati and Ganjam districts to take up annual verification of boundary stones in the border villages.
Describing the annual verification, specifically in the villages sharing boundary with neighbouring states as an important component of revenue administration, Sethi said the dispute arises as no such assessment is made by the collectors of bordering districts.
“Annual verification of boundary stones shall be taken up meticulously and if any stone is missing, steps shall be taken by the tehsildar concerned to fix the pillar,” Sethi said.Collectors of the 14 districts have been asked to submit fortnightly confidential report on the villages in the border areas.
Directives
Take up annual verification of boundary stones in border villages
Submit fortnightly confidential report on the villages
Collectors of 14 districts asked to initiate measures