jbp123/hello · Datasets at Hugging Face

instruction stringlengths 1 84	input stringlengths 1 85	output stringlengths 1 83
Lakshmanswamy Mudaliar and P.C. Chandra Reddy.	26. B. Sivaraman and S.R. Sen were two other members of the	Commission.
27. The other four Members of the Commission were Dhirendra	Singh (Former Secretary to the Government of India), Vinod	Kumar Duggal (Former Secretary to the Government of
National Judicial Academy, Bhopal and National Law School	of India, Bangalore) and Dr. Amaresh Bagchi (Emeritus	Professor, National Institute of Public Finance and Policy,
New Delhi). With the passing away of Dr. Bagchi in	February 2008, Vijay Shanker (Former Director, Central	Bureau of Investigation, Government of India) was
appointed in his place as a Member of the Commission in	October 2008.	28. Annual Report 2018–19, Ministry of Home Affairs,
15 Inter-State Relations	T	he successful functioning of the Indian federal system
depends not only on the harmonious relations and close	cooperation between the Centre and the states but also	between the states inter se. Hence, the Constitution makes the
following provisions with regard to inter-state comity:	1. Adjudication of inter-state water disputes.	2. Coordination through inter-state councils.
3. Mutual recognition of public acts, records and judicial	proceedings.	4. Freedom of inter-state trade, commerce and intercourse.
INTER-STATE WATER DISPUTES	Article 262 of the Constitution provides for the adjudication of inter-	state water disputes. It makes two provisions:
(i) Parliament may by law provide for the adjudication of any dispute	or complaint with respect to the use, distribution and control of	waters of any inter-state river and river valley.
(ii) Parliament may also provide that neither the Supreme Court nor	any other court is to exercise jurisdiction in respect of any such	dispute or complaint.
Under this provision, the Parliament has enacted two laws [the	River Boards Act (1956) and the Inter-State Water Disputes Act	(1956)]. The River Boards Act provides for the establishment of river
boards for the regulation and development of inter-state river and	river valleys. A river board is established by the Central government	on the request of the state governments concerned to advise them.
The Inter-State Water Disputes Act empowers the Central	government to set up an ad hoc tribunal for the adjudication of a	dispute between two or more states in relation to the waters of an
inter-state river or river valley. The decision of the tribunal would be	final and binding on the parties to the dispute. Neither the Supreme	Court nor any other court is to have jurisdiction in respect of any
water dispute which may be referred to such a tribunal under this	Act.	The need for an extra judicial machinery to settle inter-state water
disputes is as follows: “The Supreme Court would indeed have	jurisdiction to decide any dispute between states in connection with	water supplies, if legal rights or interests are concerned; but the
experience of most countries has shown that rules of law based	upon the analogy of private proprietary interests in water do not	afford a satisfactory basis for settling disputes between the states
where the interests of the public at large in the proper use of water	supplies are involved.”1	So far (2019), the Central government has set up nine inter-state
water dispute tribunals. The name of the tribunals, the years in which	they were constituted and the states involved in the dispute are	mentioned in Table 15.1.
SI. Name Set-up in States Involved	No.	1. Krishna Water 1969 Maharashtra,
Disputes Tribunal-I Karnataka and	Andhra Pradesh	2. Godavari Water 1969 Maharashtra,
Disputes Tribunal Karnataka, Andhra	Pradesh, Madhya	Pradesh and
Odisha	3. Narmada Water 1969 Rajasthan, Gujarat,	Disputes Tribunal Madhya Pradesh
and Maharashtra	4. Ravi and Beas 1986 Punjab, Haryana	Water Disputes and Rajasthan
Tribunal	5. Cauvery Water 1990 Karnataka, Kerala,	Disputes Tribunal Tamil Nadu and
Puducherry	6. Krishna Water 2004 Maharashtra,	Disputes Tribunal-II Karnataka and
Andhra Pradesh	7. Vansadhara Water 2010 Odisha and Andhra	Disputes Tribunal Pradesh
8. Mahadayi Water 2010 Goa, Karnataka	Disputes Tribunal and Maharashtra	9. Mahanadi Water 2018 Odisha and
INTER-STATE COUNCILS	Article 263 contemplates the establishment of an Inter-State Council	to effect coordination between the states and between Centre and
states. Thus, 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 organisation 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:	(a) enquiring into and advising upon disputes which may arise	between states;
(b) investigating and discussing subjects in which the states or the	Centre and the states have a common interest; and	(c) making recommendations upon any such subject, and
particularly for the better co-ordination of policy and action on it.	“The council’s function to enquire and advice upon inter-state	disputes is complementary to the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction under
Article 131 to decide a legal controversy between the governments.	The Council can deal with any controversy whether legal or non-	legal, but its function is advisory unlike that of the court which gives a
binding decision.”2	Under the above provisions of Article 263, the president has	established the following councils to make recommendations for the
better coordination of policy and action in the related subjects:	• Central Council of Health and Family Welfare.	• Central Council of Local Government3
• Four Regional Councils for Sales Tax for the Northern, Eastern,	Western and Southern Zones.4	Establishment of Inter-State Council
The Sarkaria Commission on Centre-State Relations (1983–88)	made a strong case for the establishment of a permanent Inter-State	Council under Article 263 of the Constitution. It recommended that in
order to differentiate the Inter-State Council from other bodies	established under the same Article 263, it must be called as the	Inter-Governmental Council. The Commission recommended that
the Council should be charged with the duties laid down in clauses	(b) and (c) of Article 263 (see above).	In pursuance of the above recommendations of the Sarkaria
Commission, the Janata Dal Government headed by V. P. Singh	established the Inter-State Council in 1990.5 It consists of the	following members:
(i) Prime minister as the Chairman	(ii) Chief ministers of all the states	(iii) Chief ministers of union territories having legislative assemblies
(iv) Administrators of union territories not having legislative	assemblies	(v) Governors of States under President’s rule
(vi) Six Central cabinet ministers, including the home minister, to be	nominated by the Prime Minister.	Five Ministers of Cabinet rank / Minister of State (independent
charge) nominated by the Chairman of the Council (i.e., Prime	Minister) are permanent invitees to the Council.	The council is a recommendatory body on issues relating to inter-
state, Centre-state and Centre-union territories relations. It aims at	promoting coordination between them 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; and	• deliberating upon such other matters of general interest to the	states as may be referred to it by the chairman.
The Council may meet at least thrice in 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:	(i) Union Home Minister as the Chairman
(ii) Five Union Cabinet Ministers	(iii) Nine Chief Ministers	The Council is assisted by a secretariat called the Inter-State
Council Secretariat. This secretariat was set-up in 1991 and is	headed by a secretary to the Government of India. Since 2011, it is	also functioning as the secretariat of the Zonal Councils.
PUBLIC ACTS, RECORDS AND JUDICIAL	PROCEEDINGS	Under the Constitution, the jurisdiction of each state is confined to its
own territory. Hence, it is possible that the acts and records of one	state may not be recognised in another state. To remove any such	difficulty, the Constitution contains the “Full Faith and Credit” clause
which lays down the following:	(i) Full faith and credit is to be given throughout the territory of India	to public acts, records and judicial proceedings of the Centre
and every state. The expression ‘public acts’ includes both	legislative and executive acts of the government. The	expression ‘public record’ includes any official book, register or
record made by a public servant in the discharge of his official	duties.	(ii) The manner in which and the conditions under which such acts,
records and proceedings are to be proved and their effect	determined would be as provided by the laws of Parliament. This	means that the general rule mentioned above is subject to the
power of Parliament to lay down the mode of proof as well as	the effect of such acts, records and proceedings of one state in	another state.
(iii) Final judgements and orders of civil courts in any part of India	are capable of execution anywhere within India (without the	necessity of a fresh suit upon the judgement). The rule applies
only to civil judgements and not to criminal judgements. In other	words, it does not require the courts of a state to enforce the	penal laws of another state.
INTER-STATE TRADE AND COMMERCE	Articles 301 to 307 in Part XIII of the Constitution deal with the trade,	commerce and intercourse within the territory of India.
Article 301 declares that trade, commerce and intercourse	throughout the territory of India shall be free. The object of this	provision is to break down the border barriers between the states
and to create one unit with a view to encourage the free flow of	trade, commerce and intercourse in the country. The freedom under	this provision is not confined to interstate trade, commerce and
intercourse but also extends to intra-state trade, commerce and	intercourse. Thus, Article 301 will be violated whether restrictions are	imposed at the frontier of any state or at any prior or subsequent
stage.	The freedom guaranteed by Article 301 is a freedom from all	restrictions, except those which are provided for in the other
provisions (Articles 302 to 305) of Part XIII of the Constitution itself.	These are explained below:	(i) Parliament can impose restrictions on the freedom of trad
commerce and intercourse between the states or within a sta	in public interest.6 But, the Parliament cannot give preference	one state over another or discriminate between the stat
except in the case of scarcity of goods in any part of India.	(ii) The legislature of a state can impose reasonable restrictions	the freedom of trade, commerce and intercourse with that sta
or within that state in public interest. But, a bill for this purpo	can be introduced in the legislature only with the previo	sanction of the president. Further, the state legislature cann
give preference to one state over another or discrimina	between the states.	(iii) The legislature of a state can impose on goods imported fro
other states or the union territories any tax to which simi	goods manufactured in that state are subject. This provisi	prohibits the imposition of discriminatory taxes by the state.
(iv) The freedom (under Article 301) is subject to the nationalisati	laws (i.e., laws providing for monopolies in favour of the Cent	or the states). Thus, the Parliament or the state legislature c
any trade, business, industry or service, whether to t	exclusion, complete or partial, of citizens or otherwise.	The Parliament can appoint an appropriate authority for carrying
out the purposes of the above provisions relating to the freedom of	trade, commerce and intercourse and restrictions on it. The	Parliament can also confer on that authority the necessary powers
ZONAL COUNCILS	The Zonal Councils are the statutory (and not the constitutional)	bodies. They are established by an Act of the Parliament, that is,
States Reorganisation Act of 1956. The act divided the country into	five zones (Northern, Central, Eastern, Western and Southern) and	provided a zonal council for each zone.
While forming these zones, several factors have been taken into	account which include: the natural divisions of the country, the river	systems and means of communication, the cultural and linguistic
affinity and the requirements of economic development, security and	law and order.	Each zonal council consists of the following members: (a) home
minister of Central government. (b) chief ministers of all the States in	the zone. (c) Two other ministers from each state in the zone. (d)	Administrator of each union territory in the zone.
Besides, the following persons can be associated with the zonal	council as advisors (i.e., without the right to vote in the meetings):	(i) a person nominated by the Planning Commission; (ii) chief
secretary of the government of each state in the zone; and (iii)	development commissioner of each state in the zone.	The home minister of Central government is the common
chairman of the five zonal councils. Each chief minister acts as a	vice-chairman of the council by rotation, holding office for a period of	one year at a time.
The zonal councils aim at promoting cooperation and coordination	between states, union territories and the Centre. They discuss and	make recommendations regarding matters like economic and social
planning, linguistic minorities, border disputes, interstate transport,	and so on. They are only deliberative and advisory bodies.	The objectives (or the functions) of the zonal councils, in detail,
are as follows:	• To achieve an emotional integration of the country.	• To help in arresting the growth of acute state-consciousness,
regionalism, lingu-ism and particularistic trends.	• To help in removing the after-effects of separation in some	cases so that the process of reorganisation, integration and
• To enable the Centre and states to cooperate with each other in	social and economic matters and exchange ideas and	experience in order to evolve uniform policies.
• To cooperate with each other in the successful and speedy	execution of major development projects.	• To secure some kind of political equilibrium between different
regions of the country.	North-Eastern Council In addition to the above Zonal Councils, a	North-Eastern Council was created by a separate Act of Parliament–
the North-Eastern Council Act of 1971.8 Its members include Assam,	Manipur, Mizoram, Arunchal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Tripura	and Sikkim.9 Its functions are similar to those of the zonal councils,
but with few additions. It has to formulate a unified and coordinated	regional plan covering matters of common importance. It has to	review from time to time the measures taken by the member states
for the maintenance of security and public order in the region.	Table 15.2 Zonal Councils at a Glance	Name Members Headquarters
1. Northern Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, New Delhi	Zonal Council Punjab, Rajasthan, Delhi,	Chandigarh, Jammu and Kashmir
and Ladakh	2. Central Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Allahabad	Zonal Council Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh
3. Eastern Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Kolkata	Zonal Council Odisha	4. Western Gujarat, Maharastra, Goa, Dadra Mumbai
Zonal Council and Nagar Haveli and Daman and	Diu	5. Southern Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Chennai

Lakshmanswamy Mudaliar and P.C. Chandra Reddy.

26. B. Sivaraman and S.R. Sen were two other members of the

Commission.

27. The other four Members of the Commission were Dhirendra

Singh (Former Secretary to the Government of India), Vinod

Kumar Duggal (Former Secretary to the Government of

National Judicial Academy, Bhopal and National Law School

of India, Bangalore) and Dr. Amaresh Bagchi (Emeritus

Professor, National Institute of Public Finance and Policy,

New Delhi). With the passing away of Dr. Bagchi in

February 2008, Vijay Shanker (Former Director, Central

Bureau of Investigation, Government of India) was

appointed in his place as a Member of the Commission in

October 2008.

28. Annual Report 2018–19, Ministry of Home Affairs,

15 Inter-State Relations

T

he successful functioning of the Indian federal system

depends not only on the harmonious relations and close

cooperation between the Centre and the states but also

between the states inter se. Hence, the Constitution makes the

following provisions with regard to inter-state comity:

1. Adjudication of inter-state water disputes.

2. Coordination through inter-state councils.

3. Mutual recognition of public acts, records and judicial

proceedings.

4. Freedom of inter-state trade, commerce and intercourse.

INTER-STATE WATER DISPUTES

Article 262 of the Constitution provides for the adjudication of inter-

state water disputes. It makes two provisions:

(i) Parliament may by law provide for the adjudication of any dispute

or complaint with respect to the use, distribution and control of

waters of any inter-state river and river valley.

(ii) Parliament may also provide that neither the Supreme Court nor

any other court is to exercise jurisdiction in respect of any such

dispute or complaint.

Under this provision, the Parliament has enacted two laws [the

River Boards Act (1956) and the Inter-State Water Disputes Act

(1956)]. The River Boards Act provides for the establishment of river

boards for the regulation and development of inter-state river and

river valleys. A river board is established by the Central government

on the request of the state governments concerned to advise them.

The Inter-State Water Disputes Act empowers the Central

government to set up an ad hoc tribunal for the adjudication of a

dispute between two or more states in relation to the waters of an

inter-state river or river valley. The decision of the tribunal would be

final and binding on the parties to the dispute. Neither the Supreme

Court nor any other court is to have jurisdiction in respect of any

water dispute which may be referred to such a tribunal under this

Act.

The need for an extra judicial machinery to settle inter-state water

disputes is as follows: “The Supreme Court would indeed have

jurisdiction to decide any dispute between states in connection with

water supplies, if legal rights or interests are concerned; but the

experience of most countries has shown that rules of law based

upon the analogy of private proprietary interests in water do not

afford a satisfactory basis for settling disputes between the states

where the interests of the public at large in the proper use of water

supplies are involved.”1

So far (2019), the Central government has set up nine inter-state

water dispute tribunals. The name of the tribunals, the years in which

they were constituted and the states involved in the dispute are

mentioned in Table 15.1.

SI. Name Set-up in States Involved

No.

1. Krishna Water 1969 Maharashtra,

Disputes Tribunal-I Karnataka and

Andhra Pradesh

2. Godavari Water 1969 Maharashtra,

Disputes Tribunal Karnataka, Andhra

Pradesh, Madhya

Pradesh and

Odisha

3. Narmada Water 1969 Rajasthan, Gujarat,

Disputes Tribunal Madhya Pradesh

and Maharashtra

4. Ravi and Beas 1986 Punjab, Haryana

Water Disputes and Rajasthan

Tribunal

5. Cauvery Water 1990 Karnataka, Kerala,

Disputes Tribunal Tamil Nadu and

Puducherry

6. Krishna Water 2004 Maharashtra,

Disputes Tribunal-II Karnataka and

Andhra Pradesh

7. Vansadhara Water 2010 Odisha and Andhra

Disputes Tribunal Pradesh

8. Mahadayi Water 2010 Goa, Karnataka

Disputes Tribunal and Maharashtra

9. Mahanadi Water 2018 Odisha and

INTER-STATE COUNCILS

Article 263 contemplates the establishment of an Inter-State Council

to effect coordination between the states and between Centre and

states. Thus, 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 organisation 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:

(a) enquiring into and advising upon disputes which may arise

between states;

(b) investigating and discussing subjects in which the states or the

Centre and the states have a common interest; and

(c) making recommendations upon any such subject, and

particularly for the better co-ordination of policy and action on it.

“The council’s function to enquire and advice upon inter-state

disputes is complementary to the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction under

Article 131 to decide a legal controversy between the governments.

The Council can deal with any controversy whether legal or non-

legal, but its function is advisory unlike that of the court which gives a

binding decision.”2

Under the above provisions of Article 263, the president has

established the following councils to make recommendations for the

better coordination of policy and action in the related subjects:

• Central Council of Health and Family Welfare.

• Central Council of Local Government3

• Four Regional Councils for Sales Tax for the Northern, Eastern,

Western and Southern Zones.4

Establishment of Inter-State Council

The Sarkaria Commission on Centre-State Relations (1983–88)

made a strong case for the establishment of a permanent Inter-State

Council under Article 263 of the Constitution. It recommended that in

order to differentiate the Inter-State Council from other bodies

established under the same Article 263, it must be called as the

Inter-Governmental Council. The Commission recommended that

the Council should be charged with the duties laid down in clauses

(b) and (c) of Article 263 (see above).

In pursuance of the above recommendations of the Sarkaria

Commission, the Janata Dal Government headed by V. P. Singh

established the Inter-State Council in 1990.5 It consists of the

following members:

(i) Prime minister as the Chairman

(ii) Chief ministers of all the states

(iii) Chief ministers of union territories having legislative assemblies

(iv) Administrators of union territories not having legislative

assemblies

(v) Governors of States under President’s rule

(vi) Six Central cabinet ministers, including the home minister, to be

nominated by the Prime Minister.

Five Ministers of Cabinet rank / Minister of State (independent

charge) nominated by the Chairman of the Council (i.e., Prime

Minister) are permanent invitees to the Council.

The council is a recommendatory body on issues relating to inter-

state, Centre-state and Centre-union territories relations. It aims at

promoting coordination between them 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; and

• deliberating upon such other matters of general interest to the

states as may be referred to it by the chairman.

The Council may meet at least thrice in 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:

(i) Union Home Minister as the Chairman

(ii) Five Union Cabinet Ministers

(iii) Nine Chief Ministers

The Council is assisted by a secretariat called the Inter-State

Council Secretariat. This secretariat was set-up in 1991 and is

headed by a secretary to the Government of India. Since 2011, it is

also functioning as the secretariat of the Zonal Councils.

PUBLIC ACTS, RECORDS AND JUDICIAL

PROCEEDINGS

Under the Constitution, the jurisdiction of each state is confined to its

own territory. Hence, it is possible that the acts and records of one

state may not be recognised in another state. To remove any such

difficulty, the Constitution contains the “Full Faith and Credit” clause

which lays down the following:

(i) Full faith and credit is to be given throughout the territory of India

to public acts, records and judicial proceedings of the Centre

and every state. The expression ‘public acts’ includes both

legislative and executive acts of the government. The

expression ‘public record’ includes any official book, register or

record made by a public servant in the discharge of his official

duties.

(ii) The manner in which and the conditions under which such acts,

records and proceedings are to be proved and their effect

determined would be as provided by the laws of Parliament. This

means that the general rule mentioned above is subject to the

power of Parliament to lay down the mode of proof as well as

the effect of such acts, records and proceedings of one state in

another state.

(iii) Final judgements and orders of civil courts in any part of India

are capable of execution anywhere within India (without the

necessity of a fresh suit upon the judgement). The rule applies

only to civil judgements and not to criminal judgements. In other

words, it does not require the courts of a state to enforce the

penal laws of another state.

INTER-STATE TRADE AND COMMERCE

Articles 301 to 307 in Part XIII of the Constitution deal with the trade,

commerce and intercourse within the territory of India.

Article 301 declares that trade, commerce and intercourse

throughout the territory of India shall be free. The object of this

provision is to break down the border barriers between the states

and to create one unit with a view to encourage the free flow of

trade, commerce and intercourse in the country. The freedom under

this provision is not confined to interstate trade, commerce and

intercourse but also extends to intra-state trade, commerce and

intercourse. Thus, Article 301 will be violated whether restrictions are

imposed at the frontier of any state or at any prior or subsequent

stage.

The freedom guaranteed by Article 301 is a freedom from all

restrictions, except those which are provided for in the other

provisions (Articles 302 to 305) of Part XIII of the Constitution itself.

These are explained below:

(i) Parliament can impose restrictions on the freedom of trad

commerce and intercourse between the states or within a sta

in public interest.6 But, the Parliament cannot give preference

one state over another or discriminate between the stat

except in the case of scarcity of goods in any part of India.

(ii) The legislature of a state can impose reasonable restrictions

the freedom of trade, commerce and intercourse with that sta

or within that state in public interest. But, a bill for this purpo

can be introduced in the legislature only with the previo

sanction of the president. Further, the state legislature cann

give preference to one state over another or discrimina

between the states.

(iii) The legislature of a state can impose on goods imported fro

other states or the union territories any tax to which simi

goods manufactured in that state are subject. This provisi

prohibits the imposition of discriminatory taxes by the state.

(iv) The freedom (under Article 301) is subject to the nationalisati

laws (i.e., laws providing for monopolies in favour of the Cent

or the states). Thus, the Parliament or the state legislature c

any trade, business, industry or service, whether to t

exclusion, complete or partial, of citizens or otherwise.

The Parliament can appoint an appropriate authority for carrying

out the purposes of the above provisions relating to the freedom of

trade, commerce and intercourse and restrictions on it. The

Parliament can also confer on that authority the necessary powers

ZONAL COUNCILS

The Zonal Councils are the statutory (and not the constitutional)

bodies. They are established by an Act of the Parliament, that is,

States Reorganisation Act of 1956. The act divided the country into

five zones (Northern, Central, Eastern, Western and Southern) and

provided a zonal council for each zone.

While forming these zones, several factors have been taken into

account which include: the natural divisions of the country, the river

systems and means of communication, the cultural and linguistic

affinity and the requirements of economic development, security and

law and order.

Each zonal council consists of the following members: (a) home

minister of Central government. (b) chief ministers of all the States in

the zone. (c) Two other ministers from each state in the zone. (d)

Administrator of each union territory in the zone.

Besides, the following persons can be associated with the zonal

council as advisors (i.e., without the right to vote in the meetings):

(i) a person nominated by the Planning Commission; (ii) chief

secretary of the government of each state in the zone; and (iii)

development commissioner of each state in the zone.

The home minister of Central government is the common

chairman of the five zonal councils. Each chief minister acts as a

vice-chairman of the council by rotation, holding office for a period of

one year at a time.

The zonal councils aim at promoting cooperation and coordination

between states, union territories and the Centre. They discuss and

make recommendations regarding matters like economic and social

planning, linguistic minorities, border disputes, interstate transport,

and so on. They are only deliberative and advisory bodies.

The objectives (or the functions) of the zonal councils, in detail,

are as follows:

• To achieve an emotional integration of the country.

• To help in arresting the growth of acute state-consciousness,

regionalism, lingu-ism and particularistic trends.

• To help in removing the after-effects of separation in some

cases so that the process of reorganisation, integration and

• To enable the Centre and states to cooperate with each other in

social and economic matters and exchange ideas and

experience in order to evolve uniform policies.

• To cooperate with each other in the successful and speedy

execution of major development projects.

• To secure some kind of political equilibrium between different

regions of the country.

North-Eastern Council In addition to the above Zonal Councils, a

North-Eastern Council was created by a separate Act of Parliament–

the North-Eastern Council Act of 1971.8 Its members include Assam,

Manipur, Mizoram, Arunchal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Tripura

and Sikkim.9 Its functions are similar to those of the zonal councils,

but with few additions. It has to formulate a unified and coordinated

regional plan covering matters of common importance. It has to

review from time to time the measures taken by the member states

for the maintenance of security and public order in the region.

Table 15.2 Zonal Councils at a Glance

Name Members Headquarters

1. Northern Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, New Delhi

Zonal Council Punjab, Rajasthan, Delhi,

Chandigarh, Jammu and Kashmir

and Ladakh

2. Central Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Allahabad

Zonal Council Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh

3. Eastern Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Kolkata

Zonal Council Odisha

4. Western Gujarat, Maharastra, Goa, Dadra Mumbai

Zonal Council and Nagar Haveli and Daman and

Diu

5. Southern Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Chennai