On the recommendation of which Commission/Committee, the Inter-state Council was set up in India ?

Question

UnlockIAS · Accepted Answer

Correct — D, Sarkaria Commission. The Inter-State Council was set up on the recommendation of the Sarkaria Commission (appointed 1983 under Justice R.S. Sarkaria to review Centre-State relations). The Commission strongly recommended making the Council a permanent body. Acting on this, the President established the Inter-State Council in 1990 through a Presidential Order under Article 263 of the Constitution, which empowers the President to constitute such a Council in the public interest.

Why the other options are wrong — (a) Wrong — the Punchhi Commission (2007, Justice M.M. Punchhi) was a later commission on Centre-State relations; it made further recommendations but the Inter-State Council already existed (created 1990), so it did not set it up.  (b) Wrong — the Rajamannar Committee (1969), set up by the Tamil Nadu government, examined Centre-State relations and favoured greater State autonomy, but the Inter-State Council was not established on its recommendation.  (c) Wrong — the Kothari Commission (1964-66) dealt with education policy, an entirely unrelated subject; it has nothing to do with the Inter-State Council or Centre-State relations.

Concept: Article 263 of the Constitution empowers the President to establish an Inter-State Council if it appears that the public interest would be served by coordinating policy and action between the Centre and the States (or among States). Though the provision existed from 1950, no permanent Council was created for decades. The Sarkaria Commission (1983-88), reviewing Centre-State relations, recommended a permanent Inter-State Council; the President accordingly constituted it by order in 1990.

State PCS 2021 Q26 — Polity & Governance PYQ with Answer

State PCS 2021 Q26 — Polity & Governance PYQ with Answer