What is the Inter-State Council? : Daily Current Affairs

Relevance: GS-2: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure.

Key Phrases: cooperative federalism, Sarkaria Commission, Presidential Order, Article 263, centralization, Punchhi Commission, Article 356.

Context:

  • Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has recently written a letter to the PM of India suggesting that at least three meetings of the Inter-State Council should be held every year to “strengthen the spirit of cooperative federalism”.

What is the Inter-State Council?

  • 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.
  • Sarkaria Commission: In 1988, the Sarkaria Commission suggested the Council should exist as a permanent body, and in 1990 it came into existence through a Presidential Order.
  • 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.
  • Composition:
  • The present composition of the Council is as follows:
    • The Prime Minister is the chairman of the Council,
    • Members include the Chief Ministers of all states and UTs with legislative assemblies.
    • Administrators of other UTs.
    • Six Ministers of Cabinet rank in the Centre’s Council of Ministers, nominated by the Prime Minister, are also its members.
  • Functions:
    • The main functions of the Council are inquiring into and advising on disputes between states,
    • Investigating and discussing subjects in which two states or states and the Union have a common interest.
    • Making recommendations for the better coordination of policy and action.
    • The Council is basically meant to serve as a forum for discussions among various governments.

Standing Committee of the Inter-State Council:

  • Composition: The Standing Committee comprises Union Home Minister as the Chairman and five Union ministers of Cabinet rank and nine chief ministers as members nominated by the Chairman of the Inter-State Council.
  • Continuous consultation: A Standing Committee of the Inter-State Council has been constituted for continuous consultation and processing of matters for the consideration of the Council.

Key Challenges:

  • Recommendatory body: It is just a recommendatory body to investigate and discuss subjects of common interest between union and states or among states.
  • Lack of regular meetings: There is a lack of regular meetings, the Council has met only once in the last six years — and there has been no meeting since July 2016.
  • Lacks technical and management experts: It lacks technical and management experts along with the autonomy that is required for effective functioning.

What happened in the last meeting of the Inter-State Council?

  • In 2016, the meeting included consideration of the Punchhi Commission’s recommendations on Centre-State Relations that were published in 2010.
  • The meeting saw a detailed discussion on the recommendations.
  • States asked for maintaining the federal structure amid growing “centralisation”, Imposition of Article 356 of the Constitution, which deals with the imposition of President’s Rule in states, was a matter of concern.
  • Internal Security with a focus on intelligence sharing and synchronization for fighting Terrorism and Insurgency and Police Reforms and Police Modernization.
  • Bihar Chief Minister had demanded that the post of Governor should be abolished.

Way Forwards:

  • Suitable amendments must be made to Article 263 so as to give more power and authority to the council rather than merely being an advisory body.
  • ISC must be made a permanent body which was one of the important recommendations of the Sarkaria Commission.

Conclusion:

  • The distrust between the Centre and states has never been more pronounced than now, with several governments locking horns with the present government over different issues, which can lead to a constitutional crisis in the coming future.
  • Only a continuous dialogue based on mutual respect will foster cooperative federalism. And the first step in this direction would be to activate the Inter-State Council without further delay.

Source:  Indian Express

Mains Question:

Q. What is Inter-State Council? How it can strengthen the spirit of cooperative federalism in India? (250 words).