Who is the chairman of Inter-state Council in India?

Concept

Article 263 of the Constitution empowers the President to establish an Inter-State Council to inquire into and advise on disputes between States, and to discuss subjects of common interest to the Union and the States; its composition and functioning are laid down by the Inter-State Council Order, 1990.

Application

Under that Order, the Council is headed by the Prime Minister, with the Chief Ministers of all States and Union Territories with a legislature, Administrators of Union Territories without a legislature, and Union Cabinet Ministers nominated by the Prime Minister as members, reflecting the Council's role as the Union Government's apex coordination platform with the States, led from the Prime Minister's office.

Cross-check

This parallels the NITI Aayog Governing Council, another apex Centre-State coordination body that is also chaired by the Prime Minister, confirming that such coordination platforms are led by the head of the Union Council of Ministers rather than the ceremonial Head of State or the Rajya Sabha's presiding officer.