Published Sep 17, 2026 | 2:11 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 17, 2026 | 2:52 PM
Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin with Justice Kurian Joseph-led High-Level Committee members after the submission of the report.
Synopsis: The Justice Kurian Joseph committee, set up by the previous DMK government to examine Centre–State relations, and the Tamil Nadu State Planning Commission have been left in the lurch after the TVK government assumed power this May. Delays in contract renewals are affecting the committee’s work. Separately, the TVK government is considering disbanding Tamil Nadu’s State Planning Commission, which has been without new appointments for more than three months.
After the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, came to power in Tamil Nadu this May, several government bodies and committees constituted by the previous government have seen changes in their administrative arrangements and office-bearers.
Among them are two significant institutions: Tamil Nadu’s unique State Planning Commission, which has been in existence since the 1970s, and the high-level committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Kurian Joseph, constituted during the previous Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government to examine Centre–State relations.
Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Udhayanidhi Stalin has alleged that the TVK government was attempting to undermine the Justice Kurian Joseph committee.
“It is condemnable that the ruling party has begun efforts to weaken the high-level committee constituted by the government led by our leader MK Stalin under the leadership of retired Justice Kurian Joseph to examine the relationship between the Union and State governments,” he said.
He further alleged that reports of staff shortages had created difficulties for the committee’s continued functioning.
According to Udhayanidhi, researchers and research scholars working on the committee’s second report on State autonomy were being placed in a situation where they could not continue their work.
Sources within the committee and the State Planning Commission told South First that both institutions are facing administrative uncertainty, making it difficult for them to function effectively.
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In April 2025, the then DMK government constituted a high-level committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Kurian Joseph to examine relations between the Union and State governments.
The committee includes retired IAS officer K Ashok Vardhan Shetty and former State Planning Commission Vice-Chairman M Naganathan as members.
According to the government order, the committee was tasked with studying Centre–State relations and submitting its first report in January 2026, followed by a second report in May 2027.
The committee submitted its first report in February 2026 and is currently working on the second part of its study. According to sources within the committee, it has nearly 20 personnel, including the chairperson, members, office assistants, research assistants and an accountant.
When the committee was initially constituted, its staff members were given contracts for a period of one year. However, after the TVK government assumed office, the contractual period was reportedly reduced to three months, citing a “policy decision”.
More significantly, according to a Justice Kurian Joseph committee member, Chief Minister Vijay has not met them yet. Meanwhile, staffing woes have worsened.
Three office assistants whose contracts had already expired were reportedly given a three-month extension in May. Those extensions have now ended, but their contracts have not been renewed.
The accountant responsible for processing their salaries has also reportedly not had his contract extended. As a result, several administrative and office-related tasks are said to be pending.
In addition, the contracts of more than five people, including research assistants, are due to expire next month. Committee members are now uncertain about whether their contracts will be renewed.
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The committee functions directly under the Public Department, which comes under the Chief Minister’s control. According to those familiar with its functioning, decisions relating to the committee ultimately require the Chief Minister’s approval.
Officials in the Chief Minister’s Office have reportedly already been informed about pending contract extensions, required amendments and other administrative matters. However, committee members claim that they have so far received no response.
Officials have reportedly attributed the delay to the Chief Minister’s busy schedule, including the recent Assembly session and his Europe visit.
However, sources whom South First spoke to alleged that officials have been unresponsive and that there has been considerable delay in addressing the administrative matters.
The situation is now said to be affecting work on the committee’s second report.
Members of the committee told South First that there is growing uncertainty over whether the panel will be able to continue functioning fully under these circumstances.
Tamil Nadu became the first state in India to establish a State Planning Commission in 1971, under then Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.
Sources within the Commission told South First that the TVK government is considering disbanding the institution because it has not been able to find suitable persons to appoint to it. Instead, the government is reportedly considering a system under which committees could be constituted on an as-needed basis.
Former State Planning Commission member K Jothi Sivagnanam said the government has been advised that, instead of maintaining a permanent planning body, committees could be constituted for specific sectors whenever required.
“A committee headed by economist Montek Singh Ahluwalia has been constituted to increase the state’s revenue. Similarly, the government can constitute sector-specific committees according to its requirements. Based on advice given by the Chief Secretary in the context of the Union government, the present government has taken this decision,” he said.
He also pointed to the Union government’s decision to abolish the Planning Commission in 2014, after the BJP-led government came to power at the Centre.
According to Sivagnanam, NITI Aayog was subsequently established amid debates and pressure surrounding the restructuring of the Union government’s planning mechanism.
“The Union government does not have the same level of commitment to the social sectors. State governments are the ones responsible for implementing programmes related to healthcare, education, women’s development, poverty alleviation and other social-sector activities. From that perspective, a State Planning Commission is extremely important,” he said.
He added that the State Planning Commission, headed by former Chief Minister MK Stalin and with Jeyaranjan as Vice-Chairman during the previous five-year term, had examined individual schemes and provided various inputs to the government.
“It was not merely functioning as an institution; it examined various schemes and provided inputs to the government. If such an institution is removed, the institutional mechanism and the possibility of carrying out such assessments will also disappear,” he said.
Sivagnanam further alleged that officials are now using administrative loopholes to carry out such changes.
The State Planning Commission is headed by the Chief Minister. When there is a change in government and the Chief Minister changes, the existing members are removed following the resignation of the previous Chairman.
Accordingly, members who had served on the commission under the previous government left after the change in government. The commission has now reportedly remained without new appointments for more than three months.
Sivagnanam alleged that the government initially looked for individuals close to the TVK to appoint to the commission, but was unable to find suitable candidates.
“They were looking for people who were close to the TVK government. Since they could not find people who were considered suitable, this government accepted the advice given by the Chief Secretary,” he alleged.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
