The government cited an overlap in mandate with the newly reconstituted State Law Commission for the decision.
The Tamil Nadu government has disbanded the high-level committee tasked with studying Centre-State relations, according to reports from Deccan Chronicle, Hindustan Times and BusinessLine. The panel, led by retired Supreme Court Judge Justice Kurian Joseph, was dissolved via an order issued by Public Secretary E Sundaravalli on November 6.
The decision ends the committee's work six months before its May 31, 2027, deadline for the final report. The government stated that the non-statutory body had functions that significantly overlapped with the scope of the Tamil Nadu State Law Commission.
The State Law Commission was reconstituted on August 7, 2026, with a mandate to examine inter-state and Centre-State relations and review existing laws. Officials noted that the Kurian Joseph panel became redundant following this reconstitution.
The three-member group included retired IAS officer K Ashok Vardhan Shetty and former State Planning Commission chairman M Naganathan. The committee had previously provided a partial report to then Chief Minister M K Stalin in February 2026.
A senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said administrative issues also contributed to the closure. Following the TVK government taking office, Naganathan resigned and the government did not extend staff arrangements, which impacted the panel's workflow.
The committee's Secretary and Committee Officer have been instructed to transfer all relevant documents and records to the State Law Commission and submit a compliance report to the government.
