Inter State Council

In News: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister wrote to Prime Minister of India asking that at least three meetings of the Inter-State Council should be held every year to strengthen the spirit of cooperative federalism

Inter-State Council

Constitutional Provisions

• According to Article 263 of the Indian Constitution, an Inter-State Council (ISC) may be constituted “if it seems to the President at any time that the public interests would be served by the creation of a Council”.
• It was set up in 1990 through a presidential ordinance for the first time as per the recommendations of the Sarkaria Commission under the Ministry of Home affairs.

Inter-State Council Composition

• Prime Minister acts as the chairman of the council.
• Union Ministers of Cabinet rank in the Union
• Council of Ministers nominated by the Prime Minister.
• Chief Ministers of all states
• Chief Ministers of Union Territories having a Legislative Assembly
• Administrators of UTs not having a Legislative Assembly
• Governors of the states being administered under President’s rule

Functions of Inter-State Council

• Inter-State Council is a recommendatory body with duties to investigate and discuss the subjects of common interest between the Union and State(s) or among the States, making recommendations particularly for better coordination of policy and action on these subjects and deliberating upon such other matters of general interest to the States which may be referred to it by its Chairman
• Making suggestions on any such subject, for the better coordination of policy and action with respect to that subject

Issues

• The Council has met only once in the last six years and there has been no meeting since July 2016.
• Since its constitution in 1990, the body has met only 11 times, although its procedure states it should meet at least three times every year.
• In 2016, the meeting included consideration of the Punchhi Commission’s recommendations on Centre-State Relations that were published in 2010

Current Stats:

• The Council was reconstituted recently by the Government of India
• Headed by the PM, the Council will comprise six Union ministers, besides the Chief Ministers of the 28 states and UTs with a legislature, and administrators of UTs without a legislature.
• It will also have 10 Union ministers as permanent invitees.
• The government has also reconstituted the standing committee of the Council, with Union Home Minister as it chairman.

Source: Indian Express

Previous Year Questions

Q.1) Who among the following constitutes the National Development Council? (2013)

1. The Prime Minister
2. The Chairman, Finance Commission
3. Ministers of the Union Cabinet
4. Chief Ministers of the States

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

1. 1, 2 and 3 only
2. 1, 3 and 4 only
3. 2 and 4 only
4. 1, 2, 3 and 4