Ans: C

Exp:

• Statement 1 is correct: Article 262 of the Constitution provides for the adjudication of interstate water disputes. Under Article 262, the Parliament may, by law, legislate for the resolution of any dispute or complaint relating to the usage, distribution, and management of any inter-state river and river valley. The Central Government establishes a river board at the request of the involved state governments to advise them. 
• Statement 2 is correct: The Inter-State Water Disputes Act empowers the Central Government to set up an ad hoc tribunal for the adjudication of a dispute between two or more states in relation to the waters of an inter-state river or river valley. The decision of the tribunal would be final and binding on the parties to the dispute. Neither the Supreme Court nor any other court is to have jurisdiction in respect of interstate water disputes.
• Reference: Laxmikanth, chapter 14. cprindia.org

Ans: D

Exp:

• Statement 1 is incorrect: Article 263 proposes the formation of an Inter-State Council to promote collaboration between States and between the Centre and States. Hence, it is a Constitutional Body. The President can establish such a council at any time if it serves the public interest. Thus, it is not a permanent constitutional body.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: The President (not the Prime Minister) can establish an inter-state council,  if at any time, it appears to him that the public interest would be served by its establishment. He can define the nature of the duties to be performed by such a council and its organisation and procedure.
• Statement 3 is correct: The Inter-State Council can deal with any controversy, whether legal or nonlegal. However, its function is advisory, unlike that of the court, which gives a binding decision.
• Reference: Laxmikanth, chapter 14.

Ans: C

Exp:

The Sarkaria Commission on Center-State Relations (1983–88) recommended the establishment of a permanent Inter-State Council under Article 263 of the Constitution. Later, it was established in  1990. It consists of the following members:

• The Prime Minister is the Chairman. Hence, option 1 is correct 
• Chief Ministers of all the states. Hence, option 2 is correct
• Chief ministers of union territories having legislative assemblies
• Administrators of union territories without legislative assemblies
• Governors of States under the President’s rule. Hence, option 3 is correct
• Six Central cabinet ministers, including the home minister, are to be nominated by the Prime Minister.

Reference: Laxmikanth, chapter 14.

Ans: D

Exp :

• Statement 1 is incorrect: The Zonal Councils are statutory (and not constitutional) bodies. They were established by the State Reorganization Act of 1956. The act divided the country into Northern, Central, Eastern, western, and Southern zones and provided a zonal council for each zone. The zonal councils have been established by the Parliament to promote inter-state cooperation and coordination. Article 263 contemplates the establishment of an Inter-State Council (constitutional body) to effect coordination between the states and between the Centre and states.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: Each zonal council consists of the following members: (a) the home minister of the central government. (b) chief ministers of all the States in the zone. (c) Two other ministers from each state in the zone (d) Administrator of each union territory in the zone. The home minister of the central government is the common chairman of the five zonal councils. Each chief minister acts as a vice-chairman of the council by rotation, holding office for a period of one year at a time.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: The Zonal Councils are established by an Act of Parliament, that is, the States Reorganisation Act of 1956. The act divided the country into five zones (Northern, Central, Eastern, Western and Southern) and provided a zonal council for each zone. In addition to the above Zonal Councils, a North-Eastern Council was created by the North-Eastern Council Act of 1971. Its members include Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Sikkim.
• Reference: Chapter 15, Inter State Relations, Laxmikanth

Ans: B

Exp: 

The zonal councils aim to promote cooperation and coordination between States, Union territories, and the Centre. They discuss and make recommendations regarding matters like economic and social planning, linguistic minorities, border disputes, interstate transport, and so on. They are only deliberative and advisory bodies.

Reference: Chapter 15, Inter-State Relations, Laxmikanth