Sarkaria Commission was established to study

The Sarkaria Commission was established in 1983 by the Government of India to examine and review the working of existing arrangements between the Union (Centre) and the States [c5, t3]. Headed by Justice Ranjit Singh Sarkaria, the commission was mandated to suggest changes within the constitutional framework to improve Centre-State relations [t4, t8]. It submitted its report in 1988, containing 247 recommendations covering various aspects such as the role of Governors, legislative relations, administrative relations, and the use of Article 356 [t1, t3]. One of its most significant outcomes was the recommendation to establish a permanent Inter-State Council under Article 263, which was eventually set up in 1990 [c1, t3]. The commission emphasized cooperative federalism, suggesting that while the Centre needs to be strong, it should not undermine the autonomy of the States [t8].

Sources

1. [1] Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., McGraw Hill. > Chapter 15: Centre State Relations > Sarkaria Commission > p. 160
2. [2] Indian Constitution at Work, Political Science Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 7: FEDERALISM > Role of Governors and President's Rule > p. 166
3. [3] https://cbc.gov.in/cbcdev/pi-1983/pi-1983-story.html