The

Constitution of India The Constitution of India (IAST: ) is the supreme law of India. The document lays down the framework that demarcates fundamental political code, structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions and sets out fundamental ri ...

in Article 263, provided that an Inter-State Council (ISC) may be established "if at any time it appears to the President that the public interests would be served by the establishment of a Council". Therefore, the constitution itself did not establish the ISC, because it was not considered necessary at the time the constitution was being framed, but kept the option for its establishment open. This option was exercised in 1990. Therefore, the ISC was established as a permanent body on 28 May 1990 by a presidential order on recommendation of

Sarkaria Commission The ''Sarkaria Commission'' was set up in 1983 by the central government of India against M. Karunanidhi. The Sarkaria Commission's charter was to examine the central-state relationship on various portfolios and suggest changes within the framewor ...

. Moreover, the Commission on Centre-State Relations under the Chairmanship of Justice R. S. Sarkaria had recommended that a permanent Inter-State Council called the Inter-Governmental Council (IGC) should be set up under Article 263. The ISC has been established pursuant to this recommendation of the commission. It cannot be dissolved and re-established. Therefore, the current status of ISC is that of a permanent constitutional body. The objective of the ISC is to discuss or investigate policies, subjects of common interest, and disputes among states.

Aims

# Decentralisation of powers to the states as much as possible. # More transfer of financial resources to the states. # Arrangements for devolution in such a way that the states can fulfil their obligations. # Advancement of loans to states should be related to as ‘the productive principle’. # Deployment of

Central Armed Police Forces Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) is the collective name of central police organisations in India under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). These are technically paramilitary forces formerly known as Central Para-Military Forces (CPMF). Since ...

in the states either on their request or otherwise.

Composition

The Inter-State Council composes of the following members: *

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...

, Chairman. * Chief Ministers of all states. * Chief Ministers of the union territories having legislative assemblies. *

Lieutenant Governors A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

and

Administrators Administrator or admin may refer to: Job roles Computing and internet * Database administrator, a person who is responsible for the environmental aspects of a database * Forum administrator, one who oversees discussions on an Internet forum * N ...

of the union territories not having legislative assemblies. * 6 Union Cabinet Ministers, including

Union Home Minister The Minister of Home Affairs (or simply, the Home Minister, short-form HM) is the head of the Ministry of Home Affairs of the Government of India. One of the senior-most officers in the Union Cabinet, the chief responsibility of the Home Minist ...

, to be nominated by the Prime Minister. *

Governors A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

of the states being administered under

President's rule In India, President's rule is the suspension of state government and imposition of direct Union government rule in a state. Under Article 356 of the Constitution of India, if a state government is unable to function according to Constitutional ...

. Standing Committee * Union Home Minister, Chairman * 5 Union Cabinet Ministers * 9 Chief Ministers

Meetings

The Council has met 12 times since its inception (1990).

References

{{reflist State governments of India Councils of India