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Context - The Union Government has released a notification to reconstitute the Inter-State Council to promote cooperative federalism.

Inter-State Councils

• Article 263 of the Indian Constitution has the provision for the establishment of an Inter-State Council to effect coordination between the states and between the Center and states.
• The President can establish such a council if at any time it appears to him that the public interest would be served by its establishment.
  • He can define the nature of duties to be performed by such a council and its organization and procedure.
• Even though the president is empowered to define the duties of an inter-state council, Article 263 specifies the duties that can be assigned to it in the following manner:
  • Enquiring into and advising upon disputes which may arise between states.
  • Investigating and discussing subjects in which the states or the Center and the states have a common interest, and making recommendations upon any such subject, particularly for the better coordination of policy and action on it.
• It consists of the following members:
  • The Prime Minister is the Chairman.
  • Chief Ministers of all the states.
  • Chief Ministers of Union Territories with legislative assemblies.
  • Administrators of union territories do not have legislative assemblies.
  • Governors of States under the President‘s rule.
  • 6 Central cabinet ministers, including the home minister, are to be nominated by the Prime Minister.
• The council is a recommendatory body on issues relating to inter-state, Center-state and Center–union territories relations.
• It aims at promoting coordination by examining, discussing and deliberating on such issues. Its duties, in detail, are as follows:
  • Investigating and discussing such subjects in which the states or the centre have a common interest.
  • Making recommendations upon any such subject for the better coordination of policy and action on it.
• The Council may meet at least thrice a year.
  • Its meetings are held in camera and all questions are decided by consensus.
• There is also a Standing Committee of the Council. It was set up in 1996 for continuous consultation and processing of matters for the consideration of the Council. It consists of the following members:
  • Union Home Minister as the Chairman.
  • 5 Union Cabinet Ministers.
  • 9 Chief Ministers.

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