Bhubaneswar, June 23 -- The ongoing SIR survey has run into resistance at Shankhamedi village in Odisha'sBalasore district, with residents refusing to participate in the exercise and sending the Booth Level Officer (BLO) back without allowing the survey to be conducted.

According to villagers, they have already undergone the SIR process in neighbouring West Bengal and have also cast their votes in the state's Assembly elections. Citing this, they told the BLO that they would not participate in Odisha's SIR exercise.

The incident has once again brought focus on the long-standing dispute over Shankhamedi village, which lies along the Odisha-West Bengal border. While Odisha considers the village part of its territory, West Bengal has also ...