What’s Behind Tamil Nadu's New Committee for Strengthening Centre-State Relations?

Formation of a New Committee in Tamil Nadu

Chennai: On Tuesday, M.K. Stalin, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, revealed the establishment of a high-level committee led by retired Supreme Court Justice Kurian Joseph. This committee is tasked with examining and proposing strategies to enhance the relationship between the Centre and the States, including the suggestion to revert education matters to the State List of the Constitution.

During his address in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, CM Stalin indicated that the committee is expected to present its interim findings by January 2026, with a comprehensive final report due within two years.

The three-member committee will also feature former IAS officer Ashok Vardhan Shetty and Professor Naganathan, who previously served as the Deputy Chairman of the State Planning Commission.

This committee will conduct an in-depth analysis of the Indian Constitution and review past recommendations from various expert groups regarding Centre-State relations, starting from the Rajamannar Committee Report of 1971 to the M.M. Punchhi Commission report of 2004.

CM Stalin emphasized Tamil Nadu's historical role in upholding constitutional values and federal principles, asserting that the committee's efforts will not only benefit Tamil Nadu but also have positive implications for all states, from Gujarat to the Northeast and from Kashmir to Kerala.

He referenced the insights of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and James Madison, a key architect of the US Constitution, to highlight the necessity of strong federalism and the importance of empowered state governments within a cohesive national structure.

This initiative comes at a crucial time, given the ongoing tensions between the DMK-led state government and the BJP-led Central government, particularly regarding contentious topics like the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), which the Tamil Nadu administration has persistently opposed.

Additionally, it follows recent disputes between the Chief Minister and Governor R.N. Ravi, who faced criticism from the Supreme Court for unnecessarily delaying his approval of several state bills, some of which had been pending for over five years. Among these were ten significant legislations related to universities, which were ultimately recognized as having received assent under constitutional provisions following a recent Supreme Court decision.