TN: Committee on centre-state relations meets MK Stalin

Chennai, June 2 (IANS) The high-level committee constituted by the Tamil Nadu government to examine centre-state relations met Chief Minister M.K. Stalin at the State Secretariat in Chennai on Monday.

The panel, set up to assess constitutional provisions, laws, and policies governing the federal structure of India, is tasked with recommending steps to enhance state autonomy and strengthen federalism.

The committee is headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Kurian Joseph and comprises retired IAS officer K. Ashok Vardhan Shetty and former Vice-Chairman of the Tamil Nadu State Planning Commission, M. Naganathan.

During the meeting, the panel briefed Chief Minister Stalin on the preliminary steps undertaken and areas identified for detailed review.

Chief Secretary N. Muruganandam and senior officials from the Public Department were also present during the meeting.

The formation of the committee was first announced by Stalin in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly in April 2025, underscoring the state’s growing concerns over what it perceives as an erosion of federal principles.

The Chief Minister had noted at the time that the move was aimed at safeguarding the spirit of cooperative federalism enshrined in the Constitution, particularly in light of increasing instances of what the DMK government has described as the Centre’s encroachments on state powers.

The panel is expected to conduct an exhaustive review of constitutional articles, legislative practices, and central policies that impact states’ rights.

It will also study best practices from other federal democracies and examine how Tamil Nadu can assert its constitutional rights within the existing framework.

Sources said that the committee would interact with legal experts, academicians, and former bureaucrats before finalising its recommendations, which are expected to be submitted in a detailed report later this year.

The initiative aligns with the DMK-led government’s consistent stance on federalism, regional autonomy, and the devolution of powers to states—an issue that has gained prominence in Tamil Nadu’s political discourse in recent years.

The report, once submitted, is likely to have far-reaching implications for future centre-state engagements.

--IANS

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