Inter-State Council

In News

• Recently, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister insisted that the Inter-State Council meetings should be held at least thrice in a year.

Reason and other demands

• To strengthen the spirit of cooperative federalism.
• Bills of national importance should be placed before the Council before being tabled in Parliament. 
• There is no “effective and interactive communication” between the states and the Centre on issues of common interest.
• The Council has met only once in the last six years — and that 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.

Inter State Council

• Origin: It is a mechanism that was constituted to support Centre-State and Inter-State coordination and cooperation in India. 
• Article 263: The Inter-State Council was established under Article 263 of the Constitution, which states that the President may constitute such a body if a need is felt for it. 
• Objective: The Council is basically meant to serve as a forum for discussions among various governments.
• Sarkaria Commission: In 1988, the Commission suggested the Council should exist as a permanent body, and in 1990 it came into existence through a Presidential Order.
• Functions: 
  • To investigate and discuss subjects in which the states or the centre have a common interest.
  • To make recommendations upon any such subject for the better coordination of policy and action on it, and
  • To deliberate upon such other matters of general interest to the states as may be referred to it by the chairman.
  • It also facilitates consideration of all pending and emerging issues of the Centre-State and inter-State relations by the zonal councils and inter-State council 
  • It develops a sound system of monitoring the implementation of the recommendations of the inter-State council and zonal councils.
• Mandate:
  • To create a strong institutional framework to promote and support cooperative federalism in the country and activate the council and zonal councils by organizing its regular meetings.
• Chairman and Members according to the reconstitution: 
  • The Prime Minister is the chairman of the Council.
  • Members include the:
    • Chief ministers of all the states
    • Chief ministers of union territories having legislative assemblies
    • Administrators of union territories not having legislative assemblies
    • Governors of States under President’s rule.
    • Six Central cabinet ministers, including the home minister, are to be nominated by the Prime Minister.
    • Ten Ministers of Cabinet rank / Minister of State (independent charge) nominated by the Chairman of the Council (i.e., Prime Minister) are permanent invitees to the Council. 
      • Previously there were five Union ministers who were permanent invitees to the Council. 
• Few more provisions:
  • The council is a recommendatory body.
  • The Council may meet at least thrice a year. 
  • Its meetings are held in camera. 
  • All questions are decided by consensus.

Standing Committee of the Inter-State Council

• About:
  • It was set up in 1996 for continuous consultation and processing of matters for the consideration of the Council.
  • The Council is assisted by a secretariat called the Inter-State Council Secretariat. 
    • This secretariat was set up in 1991 and is headed by a secretary to the Government of India. 
    • Since 2011, it is also functioning as the secretariat of the Zonal Councils.
• Functions:
  • The standing committee undertakes continuous consultation and processes matters for consideration of the council.
  • It processes all matters pertaining to centre-state relations before they are taken up for consideration in the inter-state council.
  • The standing committee also monitors the implementation of the decisions taken on the recommendations of the council and considers any other matter referred to it by the chairman or the council.
• Composition:
  • Union Home Minister as the Chairman.
  • Five Union Cabinet Ministers.
  • Nine Chief Ministers (nominated by the Chairman of the Inter-State Council.)
  • It may, if necessary, invite experts and persons eminent in specific fields to have the benefit of their views while deliberating upon the related subjects.

Way Ahead

• Ways of cooperative federalism should be utilised more in a democratic country like India.
• India is a Union of States, so states should not be reduced from their power.

Source: IE