MK Stalin announces panel to recommend measures for Tamil Nadu’s autonomy

Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin announced in the state assembly on Tuesday that a panel will be formed to recommend measures for the state’s autonomy amid run-ins with the Governor, reported news agency ANI.

The panel will be headed by Kurian Joseph, a former Supreme Court judge and ex IAS officers – Ashok Vardan Shetty and Mu Nagarajan.

MK Stalin’s move is aimed at giving the state more powers and strengthen relations with the Centre.

The committee has been given a deadline of January 2026 to present an interim report to the state government, while the complete report is expected by 2028.

Addressing the Tamil Nadu state assembly, Stalin said, “To strengthen the relationship between state and union Government, this committee will do a research and give recommendations.”

Stalin has also asked the committee to look into how the state subjects moved to the concurrent list can be retrieved. “The committee will study, as per the law, to transfer those subjects that went from the State List to the Concurrent List,” he said.

MK Stalin mentions NEET exam, language imposition

MK Stalin also reiterated his long-standing criticism of India’s medical entrance exam National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and the National Education Policy while addressing the assembly.

He said the Centre is trying to impose Hindi language through the National Education Policy and claimed that because Tamil Nadu has rejected NEP, the Centre has withheld state’s funds worth ₹2,500 crore.

“We have lost many students due to the NEET exam. We have continuously opposed the NEET exam. In the name of the triple language policy, the Union Government is trying to impose Hindi in Tamil Nadu. Since we have denied NEP, ₹2500 cr to the state has not been released by the Union Government,” ANI quoted him as saying.

MK Stalin vs Governor

MK Stalin has constantly been at loggerheads with Tamil Nadu’s Governor RN Ravi. His recent remarks and call for more power to states comes after his big Supreme Court win against Governor RN Ravi.

Tamil Nadu government, headed by MK Stalin’s DMK, had sued RN Ravi for withholding assent to several bills passed by the state assembly for President’s consideration even after they were sent twice.

Supreme Court reprimanded the governor and called his move “illegal”.

The judgement passed by the bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan said, “Action of the Governor to reserve the 10 bills for the President is illegal and arbitrary, and thus the action is set aside. All actions taken by the Governor thereto for the 10 bills are set aside. The 10 bills shall be deemed to be clear from the date it was re-presented to the Governor.”

This, MK Stalin said, was a big win not just for Tamil Nadu but for all the states across India.