Koraput: Amidst incursion threat from Andhra Pradesh officials to Kotia panchayat under Pottangi block in this district, the district administration is all set to hold the rural polls Friday.
As per the poll schedule, voting for zilla parishad zone-I of Pottangi block will be held February 18 and Kotia panchayat is a part of this zone.
Now, all eyes are set on Kotia where the elections will be held at 13 booths during the second phase. These booths have been put up at Madkar, Fagunsineri, Ranasing, Tadibalsa, Talasembi, Uparsembi, Barabandh, Thuria, Karanjguda, Taupadar, Matalamba, Kotia and Ganjeipadar of the panchayat. Altogether 5,790 voters will exercise their franchise, said sources.
The district administration led by Koraput Collector Abdaal M Akhtar has completed all necessary preparations to conduct free and fair polls in the panchayat with the polling officials have already arrived at their respective booths.
While seven candidates are contesting for the sarpanch post in Kotia, all-party candidate Mamata Jani and independent candidate Tikai Gemel are locked in a direct contest for Pottangi zilla parishad zone-1.
Police have been deployed in every booth and in areas bordering Andhra Pradesh to prevent any untoward incident or sabotage. They are keeping a close watch on suspicious movement of people and searching vehicles.
Meanwhile, Collector Akhtar and BDO Sarthak Mishra visited all the booths set up on hilltop and foothills and reviewed the poll preparations.
The Collector said there is nothing to worry about as extensive preparations have been made to conduct free and fair polls in Kotia panchayat.
Notably, both Odisha and Andhra Pradesh continue to be at loggerheads over a five-decade long tussle over the ownership of 21 of the 28 villages under Kotia panchayat and the case has been sub judice in Supreme Court since 1968.
Peeved at frequent intrusions by AP and execution of various welfare programmes in Kotia panchayat to woo the villagers, the state government had announced a special package of Rs 150 crore for development of the disputed panchayat in April 2018.