Pottangi: In a move that would discourage Andhra Pradesh from influencing and manipulating voters of bordering Kotia gram panchayat (GP) under this block in Koraput district to participate in the polls in the neighbouring state, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has given its approval for establishment of a new polling station at Tadibalsa village under the GP. With this, Kotia panchayat will now have 10 booths, instead of nine earlier. Tadibalsa booth has 403 voters hailing from Neredibalsa, Tadibalsa, Arjubalsa and Dhulipadar villages under the GP. The distance of this new booth will be only 10 km for the voters of these fringe villages. The voters of these fringe villages were earlier travelling for 34 km to vote at Ranasingh booth. They will now have to travel for only 10 km to vote at Tadibalsa polling station.
The decision comes close on the heels of the neighbouring state trying to wean away the voters of fringe villages in Koraput district from the Odisha government and manipulate them to vote in the panchayat and Assembly elections of Andhra Pradesh. The desperate act of Andhra Pradesh had become a cause of concern for the district administration of Koraput district. Odisha election officer Nikunja Bihari Dhal had visited Koraput district before the last Assembly elections. District Collector V Keerthi Vasan and Pottangi BDO Sukant Kumar Pattanaik apprised him about the issue during the visit. Dhal listened to their complaint and recommended the ECI for the establishment of a new polling booth at Tadibalsa. The state election officer issued a notification for the establishment of a new polling booth at Tadibalsa village Thursday after the ECI gave its approval to the proposal.