Tamil Nadu CM Stalin steps up attack on Centre, announces high-level panel on state autonomy

Alleging that state's rights were gradually being snatched by the Centre, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday announced the constitution of a panel under a retired Supreme Court judge on state autonomy.

The high-level committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Kurian Joseph will examine in detail the relationship between the Union and state governments to ensure state autonomy.

It will submit its interim report in January 2026. The final report with recommendations will be submitted in two years, Stalin told the state Assembly.

The panel will have former bureaucrat, Ashok Vardhan Shetty and former vice-chairman of the State Planning Commission M Naganathan as its members.

“The committee will study, as per the law, to transfer those subjects that went from the State List to the Concurrent List,” the Chief Minister said and pointed out that the National Eligibility-cum- Entrance Test (NEET) was out of the purview of states.