Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to chair the 32nd meeting of the Northern Zonal Council (NZC) in Faridabad, Haryana, on Monday, November 17, 2025. The meeting will bring together chief ministers, lieutenant governors, senior officials from the central and state governments, and Union territories.

The Northern Zonal Council comprises the states of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Rajasthan, as well as the Union territories of Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, and Chandigarh.

A wide array of issues are expected to be discussed during the meeting, including education, health, and electricity. Other key areas of focus will likely include water sharing, the reorganization of states, infrastructure development, land acquisition, and environmental and forest-related clearances. The council will also address the speedy investigation of cases involving sexual offenses against women and children. Coordination among state governments and development work are also on the agenda.

The meeting gains significance in light of recent events, including the busting of a terror module in Faridabad and an explosion in Nowgam. Explosives, suspected to be linked to the terror module, are believed to have been used in a Red Fort blast on November 10, which resulted in 13 fatalities. The explosives seized in Faridabad also led to an accidental blast in a police station in Nowgam, causing 9 deaths and injuries to 32 others.

Officials have noted a shift in the role of zonal councils, transforming them from advisory bodies into "action platforms" under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.