Published Sep 24, 2026 | 12:47 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 24, 2026 | 12:47 PM
Retired Supreme Court justice with ex-CM MK Stalin. (Special Arrangment)
Synopsis: The Tamil Nadu government is allegedly piling pressure on retired Supreme Court judge Justice Kurian Joseph to step down as chairman of the High-Level Committee on State-Centre Relations that was constituted by the previous DMK government in 2025, a source has revealed.
The Tamil Nadu government, led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, has been tinkering with the administrative structures of several committees constituted during the previous Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) regime.
Against this backdrop, sources told South First that the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government is allegedly pressuring retired Supreme Court judge Justice Kurian Joseph to step down as chairman of the High-Level Committee on State-Centre Relations, constituted in 2025.
The committee was constituted by the previous DMK government in April 2025 under the chairmanship of Justice Kurian Joseph to examine issues concerning relations between the Union and state governments.
In recent months, however, the committee has reportedly faced several hurdles in continuing its work under the new government.
As South First had reported earlier, the contracts of more than three of the committee’s existing staff members were not renewed. The contracts of four research officers are also scheduled to end in November, raising questions over the committee’s ability to continue its work and complete its mandate.
Now, a source associated with the committee has alleged that the government is piling on the pressure on Justice Kurian Joseph to step down as its chairman.
“The government is putting pressure on Justice Kurian Joseph to step down from the chairmanship of the committee,” the source told South First.
The committee has already submitted its first report on February 16, 2026.
The first report covers several key areas, including:
The original plan was for the committee to submit its second report in May 2027. The second report was set to examine:
Committee member Ashok Vardhan Shetty said in March that the report would be expanded from 24 to 30 chapters, with a third part added.
According to the committee source, its staff are already working beyond normal working hours in an effort to meet deadlines, and completing the second report could still take additional time.
“If the DMK government had continued in office, it was expected that the committee’s tenure would have been extended at least until the end of 2027. But now, even basic operational approvals are not being granted, raising questions over whether the committee will be able to continue its work,” the source said.
The source alleged that “if the chairman resigns, the committee could be dissolved. That is why these developments are being pushed.”
Meanwhile, The Times of India had reported on September 23 that the state government was planning to involve the State Law Commission in the completion of the second report. Ashok Vardhan Shetty, though, was quoted as saying that “there was no such communication” from the government.
South First has learnt that Justice Kurian Joseph reportedly met a member of the TVK cabinet in Chennai this month. However, details regarding whom he met and the nature of the meeting are not yet known.
The committee source also alleged that the government is keen to avoid any confrontation with the BJP.
“This government is clear that it does not want to antagonise the BJP. Even if a situation arises that could create such a confrontation, it is trying to nip it in the bud. The government may not want the committee to continue functioning for that reason as well,” the source said.
The source argued that while changes to committees and their leadership can be expected following a change in government, the Kurian Joseph panel is different in nature.
“Normally, when there is a change in government, committees and their chairpersons may also be changed. But this is not a committee that was constituted merely to satisfy party workers. After the Rajamannar Committee, this is an expert panel examining Union-State relations in a scientific and legal manner after nearly 50 years. The government should allow the committee to continue its work,” the source said.
South First has also sought a response from Justice Kurian Joseph regarding the allegations. His reply is awaited.
Also Read:
(Edited by R Rajesh Kumar.)
