In a recent development, the Inter-State Council (ISC) has been reconstituted under the leadership of the Prime Minister. The newly formed council comprises Chief Ministers of all states and six Union Ministers as members. Further, the standing committee of the ISC has also been reconstituted with the Union Home Minister serving as Chairman. Members of this important committee include Chief Ministers from Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh.
Understanding the Inter-State Council
The concept of the ISC emerged from a government-appointed commission in 1988 led by Justice R.S. Sarkaria to review existing arrangements between the Union and the States. One of the key recommendations was the establishment of a permanent ISC as an independent national forum for consultation, guided by Article 263 of the Constitution of India.
The ISC serves as a recommendatory body to investigate and discuss subjects of mutual interest between the Union and state(s), or among states. It offers recommendations for enhanced coordination of policy and action on these subjects. The council must meet at least three times in a year, and also has a Standing Committee.
The composition of the ISC includes the Prime Minister as Chairman, Chief Ministers of all states and Union territories having a Legislative Assembly, Administrators of UTs not having a Legislative Assembly and Governors of States under President’s Rule. Six ministers of Cabinet rank in the Union Council of Ministers are also members of the ISC.
Key Functions of the Inter-State Council
The ISC is tasked with creating a robust institutional framework to promote cooperative federalism in the country, by facilitating regular meetings to discuss pending and emerging issues of Centre-state and inter-state relations. Additionally, it is charged with developing a system to monitor the implementation of these recommendations.
The Standing Committee of the ISC Explained
Established in 1996, the Standing Committee is designed for continuous consultation and processing of matters for the ISC’s consideration. It includes the Union Home Minister as Chairman, five Union Cabinet Ministers, and nine Chief Ministers. The standing committee monitors the implementation of decisions taken based on the council’s recommendations and addresses any other matter referred to it by the chairman or the council.
Other Bodies Promoting Interstate Relations
Besides the ISC, other organizations like the Zonal Councils and the North Eastern Council foster interstate relations. The Zonal Councils, classified into – Northern, Central, Eastern, Western, and Southern, are statutory bodies established by the States Reorganisation Act of 1956 based on factors like natural divisions of the country, river systems, cultural and linguistic affinity, economic development, security and law and order. The North Eastern Council, on the other hand, was set up under the North Eastern Council Act, 1972 to address the unique challenges of northeastern states.
Articles 301 to 307 in Part XIII of the Constitution deal with inter-state trade and commerce, while Article 262 provides for the adjudication of inter-state water disputes.
Way Forward
To effectively manage inter-state frictions, the ISC needs regular meetings and a permanent secretariat to ensure productive outcomes from these discussions. Filling this institutional gap is critical to prevent escalating inter-state conflicts.
