The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Vote may decide fate of 12 border villages

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Vote may decide fate of 12 border villages

By S. Harpal Singh

ADILABAD, APRIL 13. Unlike the elections in the past, the nearly 3,500 voters of the 12 villages in Kermeri mandal in Adilabad would not be allowed to cast their votes in polling stations set up by both the Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh governments. They would have to make a choice between the Chandrapur Lok Sabha constituency in Maharashtra and Adilabad Lok Sabha and Khanapur (ST) Assembly segment in Andhra Pradesh for which polling would be held simultaneously on April 20.

The choice of voters of the 12 villages would unofficially indicate a solution to the problem related to the territorial dispute between Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. Hitherto, voters in the 12 villages had cast votes in polling stations set up by both the States. The territorial dispute between the two States came into sharp focus during the 1999 elections. However, at that time polling was held on different dates in the two States, which had saved the day for the election machinery. Before 1999, the voters were allowed multiple franchise by an election machinery faced with unclear directions.

About 80 sq. km. of territory covering the revenue villages of Anarpally, Lakampur, Ananthapur, Esagaon, Bolapathar, Gouri (D), Parandoli, Paraswada, Arkepally (D), Karanjiwada, Kota and Janakpur is being claimed by AP and Maharashtra as their integral part. In AP, these villages are located in Kermeri mandal while they figure under Rajura taluk of Chandrapur district in Maharashtra. The case is currently pending in the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, these villages are being administered by the Chandrapur and Adilabad districts. Villagers here enjoy the best of both the worlds, with every dose of development coming twice. Experts say that the Constitution does not bar any citizen from enjoying an overdose of development. However, nobody is allowed to vote in two constituencies either.

Preparations for polling in the four polling stations of Devapur, Anarpally, Esapur and Parandoli are under way. It is in these polling stations that the voters from the disputed villages are enrolled.

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