Members of the Justice Kuriana Committee headed by Joseph presenting a report to Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday, February 16, 2026.
Justice Kurian Joseph, heading the High Level Committee on Union-State Relations, set up by the Tamil Nadu government, presented Part I of its report to Chief Minister MK Stalin at the Chennai Secretariat on Monday. The report made the case for decentralization and state autonomy and, among other things, outlined issues related to constitutional change; territorial integrity of states, governor and delimitation.
“The report deals in detail with the current federal challenges and advances concrete; actionable recommendations aimed at restoring the federal balance and strengthening true cooperative federalism within the constitutional framework. Two more parts, each containing ten chapters, are being prepared,” said an official statement issued by the government.
In April last year, the government set up a committee chaired by retired Supreme Court judge Kurian Joseph. Its members included former IAS officer K. Ashok Vardhan Shetty and former Tamil Nadu Planning Commission Vice-Chairman M. Naganathan.
An official release from the state government said the submission of Part I of the report marked an important milestone in Tamil Nadu’s continued engagement with the evolution of India’s federal structure. “The aim is not to weaken the Union, but to right-size it – allowing it to focus on truly national responsibilities while returning to states the autonomy necessary for effective governance and balancing authority with responsibility,” it said.
“A Union that spreads its energy into functions better performed by states and local authorities risks diverting attention from larger national challenges that only it can address. The Government of Tamil Nadu hopes that this report will stimulate informed dialogue and contribute to a more balanced and cooperative federal order,” she added.
Efforts have also been made to translate Part I into major Indian languages including Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi and Telugu to facilitate wider national engagement. Once completed, it is proposed to extend open access to these language versions.
After the report has been tabled in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, the Tamil version of the report will be uploaded on the official website of the Government of Tamil Nadu. “Any individual or institution may print, reproduce or distribute the Tamil text, in whole or in part, from the official PDF provided the source is properly acknowledged and no changes are made,” it said.
The committee marked the fourth major review of Union-state relations at the national level and the second undertaken by Tamil Nadu, which had earlier led the discourse through the Rajamannar Committee (1969–71).
At the national level, the Sarkari Commission (1983–1988) and the Punchhi Commission (2007–2010) examined Union-State relations and made important recommendations. “The time since these investigations, together with substantial constitutional, fiscal and institutional developments, has necessitated a new and comprehensive review,” the report said.
Published – 17 Feb 2026 0:01 IST