Within the federal framework, co-ordination of the National and the State policies and their implementation becomes crucial, especially in case of issues relating to common interest and shared action. A federal forum that assists in the co-operation and co-ordination is provided in article 263 to bring together the federal units. The executive powers of the union and States are normally co-extensive with their legislative powers. In regard to matters in the Concurrent List, a Union law prevails over a State law to the extent of repugnancy. However, the fact remains that matters in the Concurrent List are of common interest to the Union and the States. Even the division of powers between the Union and States in relation to matters in List I and List II is not absolute. Several entries in the Union List expressly overlap certain entries in the State List. From a functional aspect, basic issues of national policy in all spheres of overlapping jurisdiction are of common Union-State concern.
The Inter State Council is a recommendatory body of Government of India to investigate and discuss the matter of common interest between the union and states or among states, making recommendations particularly for better coordination of policy and action on these subjects and deliberating upon such other matters of general interest to the states that may be referred to it. The Inter State council was established under article 263 of the constitution through a presidential order dated 28th may 1990. The council was envisaged to be advisory for facilitating Inter- Provincial cooperation. It is also called inter-governmental council.
