Inter-state border disputes between states is reflective of weakening federalism in the country.

Inter-state border disputes → Impede development Generate friction → Laws & order issue → Lack of mutual trust → Low economic activity → Violence → Ethnic divisions Constitutional and legal framework Article 263 → Inter state council for discussion, investigation and coordination on inter-state & issues where states have common interest. Zonal council Act → provides for good councils for different zones to address the common issues facing the states.

Councils for different zones to address the common issues facing the states. There can be leveraged for discussion and building consensus on inter-state boundary issues. Failure to resolve inter-state border disputes 1) Politicization of boundary issues → using it to gain political leverage → more violence & law & order issue 2) Failure to utilize inter-state council for discussion & coordination 3) Failed to build consensus among people 4) Ethnic rivalries creates more difficulty 5) Difficulty of teasing like forest, mountain difficulty in demarcation. None consensus based approach needed to address inter-state boundary issue to strengthen cooperative federalism.

Article 263 provides for Inter-State Council when can be established by president for creating consensus & coordination between centre & states and between states. Role of inter-state council for vertical corporation 1) Building consensus on issues like financial distribution 2) Discussing on reform in legislative list under clause 7 2) Building consensus on different political parties with diverging interest 4) Opportunity for states to raise their grievances for more autonomy. 5) Building consensus on formulating laws on concurrent subject like education Eg: NEP effective implementation Role of inter-state council in horizontal cooperation 1) Discussion and consensus on inter-state boundary disputes 2) Resolving inter-state water disputes 3) Sharing of best practices for achieving SDGs 4) Cooperation to tackle internal security issue like live live lining extremism. 5) Build consensus to demand more autonomy & resources from central government. 6) Act United front against centralization, federalism. To realize its potential, it is necessary to give permanent status to inter-state council as recommended by Salarya Committee

— Nidhi Goyal · AIR 91