Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin announced on Tuesday that a high-level committee will be set up to study the rights and independence of states in relation to the central government. The panel will be led by former Supreme Court judge Justice Kurian Joseph. This announcement was made while Stalin introduced a resolution in the Assembly, highlighting an ongoing conflict between Tamil Nadu and the central government.

The decision follows a recent Supreme Court criticism of the Tamil Nadu Governor for delaying approval of bills passed by the state assembly. Stalin welcomed the court’s order, calling it a "huge victory" for the rights and independence of states. Speaking in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Tuesday, Chief Minister MK Stalin said that the central government is taking away the powers of the states. He strongly criticised the Centre and mentioned issues like the NEET exam, the New Education Policy, and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) system to support his argument. Speaking in the Assembly, Stalin said, "To protect the rights of the state and to enhance the relationship between the Union and state governments, a high-level committee has been formed. This committee will do research and give recommendations."

Stalin made the announcement under Rule 110, which allows a Chief Minister or minister to make a statement in the Tamil Nadu Assembly without giving the opposition a chance to respond or raise concerns. This means the opposition can't point out any issues or object right away. The committee set up by MK Stalin, which includes former bureaucrats Ashok Shetty and Mu Nagarajan, will present an interim report by January 2026. The final report, with detailed recommendations, is expected to be completed within two years. The committee is also tasked with suggesting ways to regain control over governance and policy-making areas that were originally the responsibility of state governments but are now managed jointly with the Centre. In his announcement, Stalin emphasised that his goal was to safeguard the rights of all states, including Tamil Nadu.

During his speech in the state Assembly, he once again strongly criticised the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and the National Education Policy (NEP). He accused the central government of imposing Hindi on the country and said the NEP was being used to promote the language. He also repeated his claim that the Union government had withheld Rs 2,500 crore in funds as punishment for Tamil Nadu's refusal to adopt the NEP. "We have lost many students due to the NEET exam. We have continuously opposed the NEET exam. In the name of the triple language policy, the Union Government is trying to impose Hindi in Tamil Nadu. Since we have denied NEP, Rs 2500 cr to the state has not been released by the Union government," news agency ANI quoted him as saying.