Tamil Nadu government dissolves Stalin's centre-state relations panel, sets up new law commission

The Tamil Nadu government has dissolved the high-level committee set up under the previous DMK administration to study relations between the central and state governments, the sharing of powers and states' rights. A new law commission has been formed to carry out centre-state relations work more effectively.

The three-member high-level committee was formed in April 2025 under then chief minister M.K. Stalin. Retired Supreme Court judge Kurian Joseph was appointed its chairman, with retired IAS officer K. Ashok Vardhan Shetty and former Tamil Nadu State Planning Commission vice-chairman M. Naganathan as members.

The committee's main purpose was to study how far the powers shared between the central and state governments under the Indian Constitution are being implemented.

The committee submitted its first report to then chief minister Stalin in February 2026. It covered key issues including the governor's powers, Hindi imposition, the rights of state languages, education, health, GST taxation and constituency delimitation. The committee was working on its second report.

In this situation, the Tamil Nadu government has dissolved the committee on centre-state relations. DMK leader M.K. Stalin has opposed the decision. He criticised the government for stopping a panel working on state rights and prioritising theatre owners' interests instead of protecting those rights.

Responding, Law Minister Nirmalkumar said arrangements were made to form a new law commission after the government led by Chief Minister Vijay took office. Experts' views were sought on the matter, and the new commission was formed to carry out centre-state relations work more effectively, he said. The issue has now become a political debate.