Article 263 : Inter State Council (ISC)

Why in News ?

Recently, the Union Government has reconstituted the Inter State Council (ISC) and the Standing Committee of the ISC under Clause 2 of the Inter State Council order, 1990. 

What is Inter State Council (ISC) ?

• Article 263 : To provides for establishment of an Inter State Council (ISC).

• The Inter State Council is a Constitutional body to facilitate coordination between states and the centre.

• It is recommendatory body to investigate and also discuss on  inter-state, Centre-State and Centre-union territories relations.

• It was set up on the recommendation of Sarkaria Commission by a Presidential order in 1990.

• The Inter State Council is not a permanent constitutional body for coordination between the Centre-State government. President can be established at any time if it appears to the President that the public interests would be served by its establishment.

Composition of Inter State Council (ISC) :

• Chairman : Prime Minister of India

• The Union Ministers : The Home Minister, the Finance Minister, the Defence Minister, the External Affairs Minister, the External Affairs Minister, the Minister for Information and Broadcasting and for Road Transport Highways and also Shipping Minister.

• Members : The Chief Ministers of all States and Union Territories (having legislative Assembly), Six Union Minister.

• However, administrators of Union Territories which do not have legislative Assembly are also members of the Council.

• The Standing Committee of the Inter State Council will be headed by Union Minister of Home Affairs.

Significance of the ISC :

• ISC gives the State a chance to bargain for more power. Example the implementation of recommendation of Sarkaria Commission reports.

• Encourages cooperative federalism.

• Its a Constitutional body and NITI Aayog is executive body.

• It act as a tool of confidence building between the two administrative units.

• Resolving disputes linked to inter-State, Centre-State.

• Its promote decentralisation of powers.

• It encourage more accountability of Centre and States for their actions.

Issues of ISC :

• It is recommendatory body, not binding on the Government of India.

• It doest not meet regularly.

• It is not a permanent constitutional body.

Temporary body, so it must be made permanent body for better coordination.

The vision of Dr. BR Ambedkar once described India and its States as "one integral whole, its people a single people living under a single imperium derived from a single source."