Ch 17 – Centre-State Relations

📖 Constitutional Provisions

Part XI · Articles 245–293
3 Types of Centre-State Relations: 1. Legislative Relations — Art. 245–255 2. Administrative Relations — Art. 256–263 3. Financial Relations — Art. 268–293
Based on Government of India Act, 1935 — 3-List System
Art 246 + 7th Schedule → Division of subjects

💡 Quick Recall — Commissions on Centre-State

Setalvad Committee (1966) → Rajamannar Committee (1969) → Sarkaria Commission (1983) → Punchhi Commission (2007). Sarkaria most important — recommended Inter-State Council!

⭐ Key Commissions on Centre-State Relations

1966

Setalvad Committee (Administrative Reforms Commission)

Administrative reform recommendations on Centre-State relations

1969

Rajamannar Committee

Tamil Nadu government appointed · Recommended more autonomy for states

1983

Sarkaria Commission ⭐

Most important · Recommended Inter-State Council · Report submitted 1987

2007

Punchhi Commission

Reviewed Sarkaria recommendations · Submitted report 2010

⚠ Exam Trap

Inter-State Council — Sarkaria Commission (1983) ne recommend kiya, lekin established 1990 mein hua (PM V.P. Singh ke time). Recommend karne aur establish karne ka year alag hai!

📜 Legislative Relations — 3 List System

🔵 Union List

Originally 97 subjects

✦ Defence ✦ Atomic Energy ✦ Foreign Affairs ✦ Citizenship ✦ Banking

🟢 State List

Originally 66 subjects

✦ Public Order ✦ Police ✦ Health ✦ Water ✦ Land / Agriculture

🟠 Concurrent List

Originally 47 subjects

✦ Criminal Law ✦ Marriage Laws ✦ Education ✦ Forests ✦ Labour

⚠ Exam Trap — List Numbers

Current numbers: Union = 98, State = 59, Concurrent = 52. Original: Union = 97, State = 66, Concurrent = 47. Subjects reduced from State list, added to Union/Concurrent over time.

💡 Quick Recall — Conflict Rule

If Parliament + State Legislature dono Concurrent list pe law banate hain → Parliament ka law prevails (Art. 254). Exception: State law got President's assent → State law prevails in that state.

⚠️ When Parliament Can Legislate on State List

National Interest Art 249 2/3rd majority in Rajya Sabha — resolution passed
Agreement between States Two or more states request Parliament
International Treaties & Agreements Art 253 To implement international obligations
During National Emergency Art 352 Parliament gets power to legislate on entire State List
During President's Rule Art 356 Parliament acts as State Legislature

⚠ Exam Trap

Art. 249 — National Interest mein Parliament State List pe law bana sakti hai lekin sirf 1 year ke liye valid, renewable hai. RS ka 2/3rd majority zaroori hai — LS ki majority kaafi nahi!

💡 Quick Recall — Territorial Jurisdiction

Parliament — Entire country + extra-territorial laws (Art. 245). State Legislature — Only within State boundaries.

🏢 Administrative Relations (Art. 256–263)

Art 256 Centre can give directions to States To ensure compliance with central laws
Art 257 Control of Union over States in certain cases States cannot impede Union's executive power
Mutual delegation of functions To avoid rigidity & deadlock in governance

⚠ Exam Trap

Art. 256 — Centre State ko direction de sakta hai ki central laws follow karo. Agar State nahi maani toh Art. 356 (President's Rule) lag sakta hai.

👮 All India Services (Joint Control)

Full Control (Centre): ✦ Appointments ✦ Disciplinary Actions ✦ Promotion & Training
Immediate Control (State): ✦ Suspension Power

💡 Quick Recall

All India Services = IAS, IPS, IFoS (Indian Forest Service). These officers serve both Centre and State — dual control. Appointment (UPSC exam) → Centre. Day-to-day posting → State.

⚠ Exam Trap

State sirf suspend kar sakta hai All India Service officer ko — dismiss, remove ya compulsory retire NAHI kar sakta. Ye power sirf Centre (DoPT) ke paas hai.

💰 Financial Relations (Art. 268–293)

Art 268 Duties levied by Union, collected by States Example: Stamp Duty on Bills of Exchange & Promissory Notes
UTs mein → Collected by Union But NOT deposited into CF of India
Art 269A Tax distribution between Union & States
Art 280 Finance Commission

⚠ Exam Trap

Art. 268 — Stamp duty pe Union ka tax levy karta hai lekin States collect karte hain aur apne paas rakhte hain. Ye centre-state financial cooperation ka example hai.

💡 Quick Recall — GST Council

GST Council — Art. 279A (101st Amendment, 2016). Centre-State financial coordination ka most recent mechanism. Chairman = Union Finance Minister.

📊 Finance Commission (Art. 280)

1+4

Chairman + Members

5 yrs

Constituted every

16th

Current FC

Quasi-judicial body
Constituted by President every 5 years (or earlier)
1st Chairman → K.C. Neogy
Current (16th FC) → Arvind Panagariya
Appointed by President
Tenure → Determined by President · Eligible for reappointment

⚠ Exam Trap

Finance Commission quasi-judicial body hai — it's not a judicial body and not a pure executive body. Its recommendations are advisory — not binding on government (though usually accepted).

✅ Qualifications — Finance Commission

Qualifications → As determined by the President
Other Members must include: ✦ One with qualification equivalent to High Court Judge ✦ Experts in finance & accounts

Functions of Finance Commission

Distribution of taxes between Centre & States
Grants-in-aid from CF of India to States
Advice on matters referred by President → not binding
Recommend measures to augment CF of States To supplement resources of Panchayats & Municipalities

🤝 Inter-State Council (Art. 263)

Established by President Art 263
Recommended by Sarkaria Commission (1983–87)
Established in 1990 under PM V.P. Singh (Janata Dal)
Reconstituted on 19th May, 2022 to promote Cooperative Federalism
Meetings → At least 3 times a year

Key Functions

Resolves Centre-State Disputes
Investigates Inter-State Disputes
Coordinates policies and implementation

⚠ Exam Trap

Sarkaria Commission = 1983 (established). Inter-State Council = 1990 (established). Recommend karna 1983 mein, establish karna 1990 mein. Ye difference poochha jaata hai!

👥 Members of Inter-State Council

👑

Prime Minister

Chairman of Inter-State Council

🏛️

Chief Ministers of All States

All state CMs are members

🏙️

CMs of UTs with Legislatures

Delhi, Puducherry, J&K

👤

Administrators of UTs

Lt. Governors of other UTs

🗂️

6 Cabinet Ministers (nominated by PM)

Including Home Minister

⚠ Exam Trap

Inter-State Council Chairman = Prime Minister. Zonal Councils Chairman = Union Home Minister. Dono alag hain — confuse mat karo!

🗺️ Zonal Councils

Key Facts

Formed under States Reorganization Act, 1956 · Chairman = Union Home Minister · 5 Zones + 1 NE Council

Purpose

Promote dialogue among states + Resolve mutual disputes
Avoid regionalism, linguistic chauvinism & particularism
Support implementation of schemes
Ensure Political Unity
Exchange of ideas and experiences

Zone	HQ	States / UTs Covered
🔵 Northern	New Delhi	J&K, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi, Chandigarh
🟠 Central	Prayagraj	Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh
🟢 Eastern	Kolkata	Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal
🟣 Western	Mumbai	Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu
🔴 Southern	Chennai	Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana, Puducherry

💡 Quick Recall — For BPSC

Bihar → Eastern Zonal Council — HQ Kolkata. Eastern zone mein: Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal. Bihar BPSC ke liye ye yaad karna zaroori hai!

🌿 North-Eastern Council

Established 1972 under North-Eastern Council Act, 1971
Initially 7 states: Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram
Currently 8 states → Sikkim added in 2002
Members → 1 Chairman + 3 Other Members + 8 CMs & Governors

⚠ Exam Trap

Zonal Councils = 5 zones (Northern, Central, Eastern, Western, Southern). North-East = Separate NE Council (8 states, est. 1972). NE Council is NOT one of the 5 zonal councils!

👥 Members of Zonal Councils

🏠

Union Home Minister

Chairman of all Zonal Councils

🏛️

Chief Ministers of all States in the Zone

Voting members

🗂️

Two other Ministers from each State

Nominated by state government

👤

Administrators of UTs in the zone

Lt. Governors/Administrators

📊

NITI Aayog member (Nominated)

Advisory member

📋

Chief Secretaries of States

Advisory members

🚧

State Development Commissioners

Advisory members

🌊 Inter-State River Water Disputes

Constitutional Provision → Art 262
Statutory Basis → Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 (amended 2017)
Composition → 1 Chairperson + 1 Vice Chairperson + Max 6 members
Term → 5 years for Chairperson · VP & members till dispute resolved

Tribunal / Dispute	Est.	States Involved
Krishna Water Dispute I	1969	Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh
Godavari Water Dispute	1969	Maharashtra, Karnataka, AP, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha
Narmada Water Dispute	1969	Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh
Ravi & Beas Dispute	1986	Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan
Cauvery Water Dispute	1990	Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry
Mahanadi Water Dispute	2018	Odisha, Chhattisgarh

⚠ Exam Trap

Art. 262 — Parliament can by law exclude SC's jurisdiction on inter-state river disputes. Ye special provision hai — normally SC har cheez pe jurisdiction rakhta hai, lekin river disputes mein Parliament SC ko bar kar sakti hai!

💡 Quick Recall

1969 mein ek saath 3 tribunals bane — Krishna, Godavari, Narmada. Cauvery dispute sabse famous/controversial raha (Karnataka vs Tamil Nadu). Mahanadi (2018) — sabse recent.

🏛️ Centre-State Relations