Tamil Nadu: CM Stalin forms committee on state autonomy amid tensions with Centre

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday announced the setting up of a high-level committee to review the constitutional and legal provisions relating to the relationship between the Union government and the states, The Hindu reported.

This came amid strained ties between the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government in Tamil Nadu and the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition government at the Centre on several issues such as the delimitation of Lok Sabha seats, the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test and the National Education Policy.

“To protect the rightful entitlements of the states and to enhance the relationship between the Union and state governments, a high-level committee has been formed,” The Indian Express quoted Stalin as saying in the Assembly.

The mandate of the committee, headed by former Supreme Court judge Kurian Joseph, would include the review of Constitutional provisions, laws and policies on Centre-state relations and recommending ways to restore subjects moved from the State List of the Constitution to the Concurrent List, the chief minister said.

The DMK chief added that the committee would also propose measures for states to overcome administrative challenges and suggest reforms to ensure their maximum autonomy without compromising the unity and integrity of the nation.

Other members of the committee are K Ashok Vardhan Shetty, a retired Indian Administrative Service officer and the former Indian Maritime University vice-chancellor, and...

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