Justice Kurian Joseph panel was working on the second Union–State Relations committee report commissioned by the Tamil Nadu government, highlighting legislative, administrative and financial ties, national security, state autonomy and inter-state water disputes.
In a GO dated Nov 6, the public (law and order) department said the committee is disbanded as its functions and scope overlapped with the newly constituted State Law Commission headed by former judge of Madras high court Justice D Krishnakumar. State Law Commission, reconstituted by TVK govt in Aug 2026, has been given a broad mandate to examine and make recommendations on matters relating to inter-state and Centre-state relations, apart from reviewing existing laws and suggesting improvements to the state’s legal and institutional framework, the GO said. “The committee’s report on Union-state relations (Part 1) was hailed across the country and regarded by other states as the timely effort by Tamil Nadu.
TVK govt has dissolved the committee out of fear that the discussions on state’s rights will intensify if the second part from the committee is released,” it said on X.
Condemning the move, DMK said the state’s move to dissolve the committee was “vendetta politics” and said the “short-sighted” decision would pose a big threat to the state’s autonomy and federal structure.
DMK’s attempts won’t succeed,” he said.
CPM leader P Shanmugam said govt should not have dismantled the committee while several issues concerning Centre-state relations remained unresolved. CPM MP Su Venkatesan described it as a “major loss to collective efforts against the attack on the Constitution and federal principles”, while VCK MP and general secretary D Ravikumar urged govt to reconsider its decision. Govts may change, but the responsibility to protect the rights of States must remain unwavering,” said MMK leader M H Jawahirullah. BJP spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy welcomed chief minister C Joseph Vijay’s decision, calling it “an appropriate and practically correct decision” in a post on X.
Former chief minister M K Stalin criticised the decision, saying it favours rights of movie theatres over the state’s. “By dissolving the committee, CM has betrayed Tamil Nadu. What other plans do they have to protect the rights of the states?” asked leader of the opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin . “The committee had submitted the first part of its study report on Union-state relations. What was the need to dissolve it before its work was completed? Hatred of the policy of state autonomy? Or an order from Delhi?” asked DMK MP Kanimozhi. CPI state secretary M Veerapandian appealed to the state govt to reconsider its decision to dissolve the high-level committee as the next part of the report is in the final stages. “At a time when the rights of states are being continuously eroded, disbanding this committee is a serious setback to federalism. State electricity and law minister C T R Nirmal Kumar justified the decision, saying State Law Commission was formed after opinions from experts were sought with an aim to carry out the research on Union-state relations with a renewed vigor. “Though the previous high-power committee comprised three members, one of them resigned in May this year. DMK is trying to divert attention from the book procurement scam at Periyar library during their govt.