In a sudden move amid ongoing political struggle between Tamil Nadu and the Union Government, Chief Minister MK Stalin announced on Tuesday the constitution of a high-powered committee to suggest ways and means to “strengthen State autonomy” vis-à-vis the Centre.

Former Supreme Court Judge Kurien Joseph, will head the three-member panel, Stalin announced in the Legislative Assembly. Former IAS officer Ashok Vardhan Shetty and State Planning Commission former vice-chairman and DMK leader Prof M Naganathan will be members of the committee.

Interestingly, Kurian Joseph was a senior leader of the Kerala Congress (Mani) before his elevation to the Bench from the Bar. At one time, he also led the Kerala Student Congress, a student wing of the Catholic Church-sponsored Kerala Congress (Mani). Shetty had worked as Stalin’s secretary during his tenure as Deputy CM in a government headed by his father and DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi.

The announcement on the panel was made under Rule 110 of the State Assembly after main Opposition party AIADMK staged a walkout in protest against the Speaker’s refusal to allow them to raise an issue in the House. After Stalin’s announcement, newly appointed BJP State chief Nainar Nagendran asserted that there was no need to discuss the issue of more autonomy for the States.

Stalin said in the Assembly that the move to ‘strengthen autonomy’ of Tamil Nadu comes in the backdrop of the tug of war between the State and the Union Government over National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET), which is out of the State purview.

“Both NEET and National Education Policy (NEP) are beyond the jurisdiction of the State Government. We are totally against the NEET and NEP. The only option to save Tamil Nadu is to take it out of the jurisdiction of NEET and NEP,” the Chief Minister remarked.

The Tamil Nadu Government scored a big win this month when the Supreme Court gave a favourable ruling on its petition to challenge the alleged refusal of Governor  RN Ravi to accord assent to 10 Bills passed by the Assembly, includging the one on appointment of Stalin as Chancellor of the Universities in the southern State.

Legal experts were not pleased with Stalin’s move on the three-member panel. “There is no need to strengthen the autonomy of Tamil Nadu since all States in India enjoy autonomy granted by the Constitution. This is a dubious move with ulterior motive,” senior lawyer and constitutional expert KC Muraleedharan said.

G Rajagopalan, Additional Solicitor General, said, “As of date, there is no need for any discussion on autonomy of the State. The Indian Constitution has explicitly divided the powers between the Centre and the State, as enumerated in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. There is no confusion with regard to the powers enjoyed by the Centre and the State. It seems only DMK and Stalin are rooting for more autonomy. It is a futile exercise,” Rajagopalan claimed.