Tamil Nadu: M.K. Stalin announces high-level panel on states' autonomy

Making a strong pitch for empowering the states, Tamil Nadu chief minister M.K. Stalin on Tuesday, 15 April, alleged that their rights were gradually being snatched by the Centre and announced the constitution of a panel on state autonomy that will be headed by a retired Supreme Court judge.

The establishment of the high-level panel — marking half a century since the DMK government moved its historic state autonomy resolution in the Tamil Nadu assembly under then chief minister — was aimed at reasserting the principles of state autonomy in today’s context, he said while making a statement in the Tamil Nadu assembly.

The move was meant to protect the "legitimate rights" of the Indian states and to improve relations between the Union and the state governments, he claimed in the assembly.

He utilised the occasion to flay the present leadership, after the party MLAs staged a walkout over a different issue.

Despite their differences with the DMK, AIADMK stalwarts and late chief ministers M.G. Ramachandran and never compromised on state rights, he said. "But now they (AIADMK) say that principles and alliance are different... The question is, what is their stand?" Stalin asked, apparently referring to the opposition party stitching up an alliance with the BJP recently.

He stressed that there was a need to strengthen cooperative federalism, by way of laws and policies related to Centre–state ties, and to review the provisions of the Constitution since the states' rights were under siege.

He said B.R. Ambedkar unequivocally stated that “both the Union and the states are created by the Constitution... The one is not subordinate to the other in its own field and the authority of one is co-ordinate with that of the other.”

"Yet, the steady encroachment of the Union into the rightful domains of the states has disrupted the delicate constitutional balance... a strong Union is not built by weakening states. It is built by empowering them," Stalin emphasised.

The Opposition AIADMK slammed the chief minister over the announcement, asking what his DMK — which shared power with the -led earlier — did all these years. The move was aimed at "diverting" public attention, the principal opposition party charged.

Stepping up the attack on the BJP-led NDA at the Centre, however, Stalin said the high-level committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Kurian Joseph would examine in detail the relationship between the Union and the state governments to ensure the states’ autonomy. It is to submit its interim report in January 2026. The final report with recommendations is to be submitted in two years' time (2027).

The panel also includes 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 to the ," the chief minister said and pointed out that the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) was out of the purview of the states though education was originally a State List subject and is now on the Concurrent List.

The state has been demanding exemption from the NEET. A number of medical aspirants have died by suicide over the years, either over being unable to clear the entrance test or over apprehensions around cracking it.

"We are not stressing for devolution of power and funds merely considering Tamil Nadu's welfare, but are keeping in mind the interests of the people of the vast expanse of the country stretching from to the northeastern parts, from to ," Stalin said.

The motive behind setting up the new panel is to protect the rights of all Indian states that work on the basis of "unity in diversity," Stalin added.

"Tamil Nadu's will be the first voice vis-a-vis discussions on state autonomy," he added, however.

"While Tamils world over showed their opposition when cultural identities like eruthazhvudal (similar to ) were attempted to be destroyed, our request is that the cultural ethos of the northeastern states like and should also be given due respect," he said.

"It is a fact that while we take all steps to protect , we are equally concerned about languages in other parts of India losing their nature," the CM said.

The four BJP legislators in the assembly protested any move that encouraged state autonomy and walked out. The Opposition AIADMK also staged a walkout from the assembly.

"This is merely to divert the people's attention. Half a century ago, Stalin's father Karunanidhi made a similar plea. But the DMK has done precious little on state autonomy. This is a mere diversionary tactic of the DMK ahead of the 2026 assembly election," AIADMK’s deputy leader of the opposition R.B. Udayakumar told reporters outside the Assembly.

Law minister S. Regupathy slammed the AIADMK for 'intentionally' walking out of the House in a bid to prevent the chief minister from making a speech.

Speaking to reporters, Regupathy said the state government wanted education to be brought under the state list.

On the criticism that the announcement was made with an eye to the 2026 assembly polls, the minister replied the DMK would come to power again under Stalin's leadership in the elections.

On NEET, he said, "There is no need for us to deceive anyone. We are clear that we can get the Court's nod because the Tamil Nadu assembly has already passed resolutions. We are confident that we can get exemption from NEET for the state through legal battle."