Zonal Councils

Zonal Councils are statutory, advisory bodies that facilitate consultation between the Union, states and Union territories belonging to a geographical zone. They were established under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956 to promote cooperation and coordinated policy-making on shared regional issues.

Statutory framework

Part III of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956 provides for five councils: the Northern, Central, Eastern, Western and Southern Zonal Councils. The North Eastern Council is a separate body constituted under the North Eastern Council Act, 1971.

Composition

Each council brings together political representatives of the Union and the constituent states and Union territories.

• A Union Minister nominated by the President, conventionally the Union Home Minister, serves as the Chairman.
• The Chief Minister of every state in the zone and two other state ministers nominated by the Governor are members.
• Up to two members from each included Union territory, nominated by the President, may serve on the council.
• The Chief Ministers of the states in the zone serve as Vice-Chairman by rotation, ordinarily for one year.

Mandate and functions

The councils discuss matters of common interest and make recommendations, rather than binding decisions. Their broad purpose is to strengthen cooperative federal relations, emotional integration and balanced regional development.

• They consider issues relating to economic and social planning that affect more than one constituent unit.
• They facilitate consultation on border disputes, linguistic minorities and inter-state transport.
• They may examine matters arising from state reorganisation and other subjects of common regional interest.
• They provide a forum for exchanging policies and experience and for coordinating development programmes between the Union and states.