Koraput: Andhra Pradesh has shifted a proposed polling booth from Neradivalsa, one of the disputed Kotia villages claimed by both Odisha and the neighbouring state, to Sariki on its side of the border following stiff opposition from the Koraput administration, political parties and local residents.The decision came after an Andhra Pradesh polling team reached the Odisha-Andhra border near Neradivalsa ahead of the Nov 5 rural polls but was prevented by Odisha authorities from entering the village and returned without setting up the booth.Koraput sub-collector Fabi Rasheed confirmed that the polling officials tried to enter Neradivalsa but left.The development came even as the Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission (APSEC) sought an immediate report from the Parvathipuram Manyam district administration on objections to holding local body elections in the disputed area.In a Nov 3 letter, the APSEC forwarded a representation by advocate and human rights activist Anup Kumar Patro to the district collector and election authority, asking them to verify the issues raised and take necessary action in accordance with applicable laws and instructions.Patro questioned Andhra Pradesh’s administrative jurisdiction over Kotia and its move to hold elections there, arguing that the area falls within Odisha’s notified Fifth Schedule Area. The APSEC asked the district administration to examine the allegations in consultation with the authorities concerned and immediately submit a detailed report along with action taken.“I request you (district administration) to verify the factual aspects and take necessary action in accordance with the applicable laws and instructions,” the letter read.The developments have brought the decades-old Kotia territorial dispute back into focus. At least 21 of the 28 villages in Kotia gram panchayat are disputed, with both Odisha and Andhra Pradesh staking claim over them.Tension flared at Neradivalsa on Tuesday after Andhra Pradesh police personnel allegedly attempted to remove barricades erected by their Odisha counterparts to prevent unauthorised entry ahead of the elections. Police personnel from the two states reportedly engaged in a heated exchange.Odisha has since strengthened police deployment at strategic points in Kotia.While Andhra Pradesh has now shifted the Neradivalsa polling booth to its territory, the APSEC’s communication does not indicate any decision to defer or cancel the Nov 5 polls.