Inter-State Council
The provision for setting up an Inter-State Council is mentioned in Article 263 of the
Constitution. In pursuance of the recommendation made by the Sarkaria Commission on Centre-
State Relations, the Inter-State Council was set up in 1990. The Inter-State Council (ISC) is a
recommendatory body and has been assigned the duties of investigating and discussing such
subjects, in which some or all of the states or the union territories and one or more of the states
have a common interest, for better coordination of policy and action with respect to that subject.
It also deliberates upon such other matters of general interests to the states as may be referred by
the Chairman to the Council.
The Prime Minister is the Chairman of the Council. Chief Ministers of all the states and
union territories having legislative assemblies, administrators of union territories not having
legislative assemblies, governors of states under President’s rule and six ministers of cabinet
rank in the Union Council of Ministers, nominated by the Chairman of the Council, are members
of the Council.
Relevant Website: www.interstatecouncil.nic.in
Zonal Council
Five zonal councils viz., Northern Zonal Council, Central Zonal Council, Eastern Zonal
Council, Western Zonal Council and Southern Zonal Council were set up vide Part-III of the
States Re-organisation Act, 1956 with the objectives of bringing out national integration;
arresting the growth of acute state consciousness, regionalism, linguism and particularistic
tendencies; enabling the centre and the states to cooperate and exchange ideas and experiences;
and establishing a climate of co-operation amongst the states for successful and speedy execution
of development projects.
Composition of Zonal Councils
Zonal Council Members States/Union Territories
Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jammu &
Northern Zonal Council Kashmir, National Capital Territory of Delhi and the Union
Territory of Chandigarh
Central Zonal Council Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh
Eastern Zonal Council Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha
Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa and the Union Territories of Dadra &
Western Zonal Council
Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu
Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana and
Southern Zonal Council
the Union Territory of Puducherry
Organizational Structure of Zonal Councils
The Union Home Minister is the Chairman of all the zonal councils. The Office of the Vice-
Chairman is held by the Chief Minister of the Member State of the respective zonal council by
annual rotation, each holding office for a period of one year at a time. Two other ministers of
each member state are also members of each Zonal Council. The Chief Secretary of the Member
State function as the Secretary of respective Zonal Council by annual rotation and another