Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin forms high-level panel on state autonomy amid rising tensions with Centre |

NEW DELHI: Alleging that the Centre was steadily encroaching upon the powers of the states, Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin on Tuesday announced the formation of a high-level committee to examine state autonomy, headed by retired Supreme Court judge Kurian Joseph.
The panel will undertake a detailed study of the relationship between the Union and state governments with the aim of safeguarding state autonomy.
It is expected to submit an interim report in January 2026 and a final report with recommendations within two years, Stalin informed the state assembly.
The committee will also include former bureaucrat Ashok Vardhan Shetty and former vice-chairman of the State Planning Commission, M Naganathan, as 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, further highlighting that the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) was outside the jurisdiction of the states.