Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the 31st meeting of the Eastern Zonal Council, a statutory inter-state body covering West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Sikkim. Zonal Councils were established under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, to promote inter-state cooperation and resolve disputes. The Home Minister serves as the common chairman of all five Zonal Councils. These meetings address shared concerns including internal security, infrastructure, and border issues among member states.

Zonal Councils are statutory advisory bodies established under Part III of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956 — not constitutional bodies, which is a frequent UPSC distinction. There are five Zonal Councils: Northern, Southern, Eastern, Western, and Central. A sixth, the North-Eastern Council, is a separate statutory body established under the North-Eastern Council Act, 1971, and operates under the Ministry of Development of North-East Region (DoNER) — not under the Home Ministry.

The Union Home Minister is the common Chairman of all five Zonal Councils. Each Zonal Council also has a Vice-Chairman, who is a Chief Minister of a member state, on a rotational basis. The Chief Secretaries of member states serve as advisers.

Zonal Councils meet at least twice a year. Their mandate covers: promoting inter-state cooperation, resolving border disputes, coordinating economic and social planning, and addressing internal security. They are advisory, not binding — their recommendations must be implemented by respective state governments.

The Eastern Zonal Council comprises West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Sikkim. The distinction between Zonal Councils (statutory, under Home Ministry) and the North-Eastern Council (separate statute, under DoNER) is a classic UPSC trap. Also testable: Zonal Councils are advisory bodies, not constitutional provisions like Inter-State Councils under Article 263.