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Council Among States

Politics Update

Council Operating Across State Borders
Council Operating Across State Borders

Council Among States

The Inter-State Council (ISC) of India, established under Article 263, has a crucial role in coordinating between states and the Centre. However, the council has faced challenges in maintaining regular meetings and implementing its recommendations effectively. Here are some proposed solutions to address these issues and transform the ISC into a robust forum for resolving centre-state and inter-state disputes.

Institutionalizing the ISC

One of the primary suggestions is to establish the ISC as a permanent body with a dedicated secretariat and resources. This would ensure regular and systematic functioning, moving away from ad hoc meetings.

Enhancing Meeting Frequency

Regular and timely meetings are essential for keeping up with emerging inter-state and centre-state issues. Proposals aim to reduce long gaps in dialogue by increasing the frequency of ISC meetings.

Strengthening Recommendations

To make decisions more impactful, it's suggested that the ISC's recommendations become binding or that their enforcement mechanisms be strengthened. This would ensure that decisions are implemented effectively rather than being advisory and often ignored.

Reducing Political Influence

Promoting a neutral, technocratic approach in ISC deliberations is another proposed solution. This would help facilitate objective decision-making focused on cooperative federalism, reducing the impact of political influences.

Involving Key Political Leaders

Greater involvement of Chief Ministers and Union Ministers is also proposed to lend political weight and commitment to ISC resolutions. This would help ensure that decisions are taken seriously and acted upon.

Improving Transparency and Accountability

Transparency and accountability measures, such as public disclosure of agendas, decisions, and follow-up actions, are crucial for fostering trust and seriousness. These measures would help ensure that the ISC's work is not shrouded in secrecy.

These proposed solutions are consistent with long-standing expert recommendations and constitutional discussions on enhancing the ISC's role and effectiveness within India’s federal framework. By implementing these changes, the ISC could be transformed from a largely ceremonial body with sporadic influence into a robust forum for constructive resolution of centre-state and inter-state disputes.

While specific recent reform proposals may not have been found in the search results, they would typically emphasize the themes outlined above. These proposals aim to address the ISC's current limitations and work towards improving its effectiveness in promoting cooperative federalism in India.

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