Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah will chair the 31st meeting of the Southern Zonal Council on August 20, 2026 in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu. The Southern Zonal Council comprises the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Keralam, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, and the Union Territories of Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep.
The Council operates under Sections 15 to 22 of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, with Amit Shah as Chairman and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Shri C. Joseph Vijay as Vice-Chairman. The meeting will be attended by Chief Ministers/Lieutenant Governors/Administrators of member states and UTs, along with two senior ministers from each state, Chief Secretaries/Advisors, and senior officers from both state and central governments.
The Zonal Council functions as an advisory body providing a structured mechanism for dialogue on issues affecting two or more states or the Centre and states. Since June 2014, 69 meetings of various Zonal Councils and their Standing Committees have been held. The councils discuss broad national issues including implementation of Fast Track Special Courts for rape cases, education matters, and regional issues such as the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, water sharing projects, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin), and civil aviation matters.