# Op-ed: The Inter-State Council has withered away and must be rebuilt

URL: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-29/inter-state-council-revival-oped/
Date: 29 October 2026 (2026-10-29)
Source: Indian Express, Page 16, Opinion
UPSC papers: GS2
Publisher: upsc.help (Pratidin), free and open-source UPSC Civil Services current affairs. Not affiliated with UPSC. Every fact was checked against the source reports by a separate review before publishing.

**In one line:** An Indian Express op-ed argues that the Inter-State Council, India's only constitutionally sanctioned Union-State forum, has been dormant since 2016 and must be rebuilt with autonomy and regular meetings.

An opinion article in The Indian Express on 29 October 2026 argues that the Inter-State Council (ISC), the forum the Constitution provides for the Union and the States to sit together, has withered into irrelevance and must be rebuilt. The ISC rests on Article 263, which lets the President set up a council if it appears that the public interest would be served. It was constituted by a Presidential Order of 28 May 1990, on the recommendation of the Sarkaria Commission on Centre-State relations, and held its first meeting on 10 October 1990. The Prime Minister chairs it. Its members are the Chief Ministers of all States and of Union Territories with legislatures, Administrators of other Union Territories, and six Union Cabinet Ministers nominated by the Prime Minister.

The Council has met only 11 times. Its 11th and latest meeting, held in New Delhi on 16 July 2016, came after a gap of almost ten years, although its procedure calls for at least three meetings a year. The government last reconstituted the Council in November 2024; its Standing Committee, chaired by the Home Minister, is meant to keep consultation going between meetings. The writer argues that the ISC became a minor wing of the Ministry of Home Affairs, that Union policies affecting States' rights and revenues were made without it, and that this has eroded trust, especially with Opposition-ruled States. The article says that issues such as delimitation, tax reform, public health and internal security cut across jurisdictions and need a standing forum for consensus.

The article proposes an independent secretariat of civil servants and technical experts, fixed meetings of the Prime Minister and Chief Ministers, routing of Concurrent List Bills and constitutional changes through the Council before Parliament takes them up, and a wider mandate to mediate inter-State resource disputes. Critics of reliance on the ISC point out that its recommendations are only advisory and bind neither the Union nor the States, and that political rivalry between the Centre and States can stall any forum. Supporters reply that bodies such as the GST Council show that structured joint decision-making can work. The Punchhi Commission (2010) had also recommended strengthening the Council.

## Prelims facts

- The Inter-State Council is set up under Article 263 by the President; it was constituted by a Presidential Order of 28 May 1990 on the Sarkaria Commission's recommendation.
- The Prime Minister chairs the Council; its Standing Committee is chaired by the Union Home Minister.
- The Council has met 11 times; the 11th and latest meeting was held on 16 July 2016 after a gap of almost ten years.
- The Council was last reconstituted in November 2024 but has not met since 2016.
- The op-ed seeks an independent secretariat, fixed meetings and prior discussion of Concurrent List Bills in the Council.

## Quick recall

- **Which Article provides for the Inter-State Council?** Article 263.
- **Who sets up the Inter-State Council and defines its duties?** The President, by order.
- **Date of the Presidential Order constituting the Inter-State Council?** 28 May 1990.
- **Who chairs the Inter-State Council?** The Prime Minister.
- **Who chairs the Standing Committee of the Inter-State Council?** The Union Home Minister.
- **When did the Inter-State Council last meet?** 16 July 2016 (its 11th meeting), after a gap of almost ten years.
- **Which commission called the Inter-State Council the 'missing link' in federal balance?** The Sarkaria Commission on Centre-State relations.
- **Which 1977 case called Indian federalism predominantly cooperative?** State of Rajasthan v. Union of India.

## Prelims practice question

With reference to the Inter-State Council, consider the following statements:
1. It is a constitutional body created directly by the Constitution and must meet every year.
2. It was constituted in 1990 by a Presidential Order on the recommendation of the Sarkaria Commission.
3. It is chaired by the Prime Minister.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only. Statement 1 is wrong: Article 263 only empowers the President to establish a council if the public interest would be served; the Constitution itself does not create it or fix meetings. Statement 2 is correct: the Presidential Order is dated 28 May 1990, following the Sarkaria Commission. Statement 3 is correct: the Prime Minister is the chairman.

## UPSC previous-year questions this connects to

- UPSC Mains 2015, GS2: The concept of cooperative federalism has been increasingly emphasised in recent years. Highlight the drawbacks in the existing structure and extent to which cooperative federalism would answer the shortcomings. (https://upsc.help/pyq/q203-concept-cooperative-federalism-has-increasingly-emphasised-recent/)
  How to use this story in the answer: Shows a structural drawback: the constitutional forum for Union-State consultation exists on paper but has barely functioned.
- UPSC Mains 2024, GS2: What changes has the Union Government recently introduced in the domain of Centre-State relations? Suggest measures to be adopted to build the trust between the Centre and the States and for strengthening federalism. (https://upsc.help/pyq/q195-changes-has-union-government-recently-introduced-domain/)
  How to use this story in the answer: Offers a practical, constitutional measure to build Centre-State trust: make the Inter-State Council meet and give it autonomy.
- UPSC Prelims 2025, Prelims: With reference to India, consider the following: I. The Inter-State Council II. The National Security Council III. Zonal Councils. How many of the above were established as per the provisions of the Constitution of India? (https://upsc.help/pyq/q199-reference-india-consider-following-i-inter-state-council/)

## Mains practice question

The Inter-State Council was meant to be the 'missing link' in India's federal system but has met only rarely. Examine the reasons for its decline and suggest how it can be made an effective instrument of cooperative federalism. (250 words)

### Model answer

Article 263 lets the President set up an Inter-State Council (ISC) for coordination between the Union and States. Constituted in 1990 on the Sarkaria Commission's advice, it has met only 11 times, last on 16 July 2016.

## Reasons for decline
- **Advisory only:** recommendations bind neither the Union nor the States.
- **Executive control:** works as a wing of the Ministry of Home Affairs, which sets its agenda.
- **Irregular meetings:** procedure calls for at least three meetings a year, yet there was a ten-year gap before 2016 and none since.
- **Alternative channels:** policy is often made unilaterally or through informal bargaining; NITI Aayog and sectoral councils absorb some functions.
- **Political rivalry:** Opposition-ruled States see Centre-led forums as one-sided.

## Why it matters now
- Delimitation, tax reform, public health and internal security cut across jurisdictions.
- Trust deficits show up in disputes over Governors, central agencies and finances.

## Making it effective
- An independent, expert secretariat (as suggested in the op-ed, citing Canada's model).
- Fixed meetings of the Prime Minister and Chief Ministers, as the NCRWC proposed.
- Prior discussion of Concurrent List Bills and constitutional changes affecting States.
- Punchhi Commission (2010): make the ISC a credible forum for intergovernmental relations.
- Learn from the GST Council, where joint decisions are institutionalised.

## Conclusion
State of Rajasthan v. Union of India (1977) described Indian federalism as predominantly cooperative; a regular, autonomous ISC would give that idea a working platform.

## The basics

## Why this matters
Indian federalism depends as much on conversation as on the division of powers. The Constitution offers one formal room for that conversation: the Inter-State Council under Article 263. UPSC asks about it in Prelims (is it constitutional or statutory?) and in Mains (cooperative federalism, Centre-State trust). The op-ed of 29 October 2026 is a reminder that the room has been locked since 2016.

## What Article 263 says
Article 263 lets the President establish a council if the public interest would be served by it. The President defines its duties and organisation. The Article lists three possible duties: inquiring into and advising on disputes between States, investigating subjects of common interest, and recommending better coordination of policy and action. So the Constitution permits the Council but does not create it.

## From missing link to dormant body
The Sarkaria Commission called a standing council the missing link in India's federal balance. A Presidential Order of 28 May 1990 set it up, and it first met on 10 October 1990. A Standing Committee under the Home Minister was added after 1996 for continuous consultation, and a secretariat was set up in 1991.

## Cooperative federalism needs a forum
Cooperative federalism means the Union and States work as partners rather than rivals. The Supreme Court in State of Rajasthan v. Union of India (1977) called Indian federalism predominantly cooperative. The GST Council shows what a working joint forum looks like: it is created by the Constitution, meets regularly and takes decisions by vote. The ISC, by contrast, is advisory and meets only when the Union calls it.

## The reform agenda
The op-ed wants an independent secretariat, fixed meetings, prior discussion of Concurrent List Bills and a role in inter-State resource disputes. The Punchhi Commission made similar points in 2010. The counter-argument is that no forum can work without political will from both sides.

## Sources

- https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/inter-state-council-is-a-meeting-point-that-has-withered-away-it-must-be-rebuilt/
- https://superkalam.com/current-affairs/29-10-2026/inter-state-council-is-a-meeting-point-that-has-withered-away-it-must-be-rebuilt-pg16-6d7222b0-6ca9-439f-8a2b-b7afb6acc214
- https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/inter-state-council-1/print_manually
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inter-State_Council
- https://www.pmindia.gov.in/?p=896591
- https://iasbaba.com/?p=19294