Chennai: Tamil Nadu Law Minister Nirmal Kumar has defended the TVK government’s decision to disband the previous regime’s panel on Centre-State relations, saying the earlier State Law Commission’s tenure had expired and a new commission was constituted on August 7, 2026.

The minister said the government had taken the views of experts into consideration while reconstituting the commission to ensure that issues concerning Union-State relations could be examined more effectively. The new body has a broader mandate covering legal, judicial and administrative reforms, in addition to Centre-State and inter-state relations.

The explanation comes amid questions over the dissolution of the panel established during the previous government led by the DMK. Kumar also criticised DMK president and former Chief Minister MK Stalin, alleging that the questions surrounding the panel were intended to divert attention from the controversy over the alleged “Periyar Library Scam”.

In a post on X, the minister said one of the three members of the earlier panel had resigned on May 4, 2026. He added that the previous State Law Commission’s tenure had ended in June, prompting the government led by Chief Minister Vijay to initiate the process of constituting a new body.

Minister cites expiry of earlier commission’s tenure

Explaining the government’s decision, Kumar pointed to the timeline of the previous commission and the developments leading to its replacement.

According to the minister, one of the three members of the earlier panel resigned on May 4. The previous State Law Commission’s tenure subsequently expired in June 2026.

The government then moved to reconstitute the commission, with the process culminating in the issuance of Government Order No. 202 by the Law (LC) Department on August 7.

Kumar said the government had considered expert opinions before finalising the new commission. The stated objective was to ensure that important questions concerning relations between the Union government and states received appropriate attention.

The minister’s explanation seeks to distinguish the dissolution of the earlier panel from the government’s decision to discontinue examining Centre-State relations. Under the new arrangement, the subject remains part of the commission’s official terms of reference.

The reconstituted body has been assigned responsibilities that extend beyond the review of Union-State relations. It will also examine existing legislation, recommend legal changes and consider reforms in judicial and administrative systems.

New State Law Commission and its members

Government Order No. 202, issued on August 7, provides for a reconstituted Tamil Nadu State Law Commission with a chairman, four full-time members and two part-time members.

Former Manipur High Court Chief Justice D Krishnakumar has been appointed chairman.

The four full-time members are:

  • Former Madras High Court judge RMT Teekaa Raman.
  • Former Additional Chief Secretary T K Ramachandran.
  • Former Law Department Secretary A Arunagiri.

Former district judges P Mohan Doss and R Govindarajan have been appointed as part-time members.

According to the government order, the chairman and members will hold office for three years from the date on which the chairman assumes charge.

The composition brings together individuals with experience in the judiciary, administration and the state’s legal department. Their responsibilities will include examining legislative and administrative issues referred to the commission and submitting recommendations to the government.

The three-year tenure is intended to provide the body with a defined period to examine the subjects included in its mandate.

Eight terms of reference for the commission

The government order outlines eight terms of reference for the reconstituted State Law Commission. These cover a range of issues concerning legislation, governance, judicial administration and relations between different levels of government.

One of the key responsibilities is to suggest amendments to existing laws to address loopholes and shortcomings. The commission will also recommend legislative measures aimed at addressing social and economic requirements.

Another important area is the improvement of inter-state and Centre-State relations. This provision ensures that questions concerning the relationship between the Union government and Tamil Nadu remain within the commission’s scope.

The commission will also examine judicial and administrative reforms. It is expected to recommend measures that can make legal and administrative procedures more efficient and expeditious.

Its mandate includes reviewing both Tamil Nadu laws and Central laws applicable in the state. This gives the body the responsibility of examining legislation across different levels of government and suggesting changes wherever necessary.

The other areas of work include:

  • Reviewing and recommending the rationalisation of laws in Tamil Nadu.
  • Examining legislative matters referred by the state government that involve multiple departments.
  • Considering other issues relating to law and judicial administration.

These responsibilities give the commission a broad advisory role in the state’s legal and legislative framework.

Centre-State relations remain part of the new mandate

The inclusion of Union-State relations among the new commission’s terms of reference is particularly significant in the context of the political debate surrounding the earlier panel.

The relationship between the Union government and state governments involves several areas, including legislative powers, administrative responsibilities and the implementation of laws. The commission has been tasked with examining ways to improve these relations.

The government order also includes inter-state relations, indicating that the body’s work will extend to issues involving coordination between Tamil Nadu and other states.

The new commission’s mandate does not limit its work to political or constitutional questions. It also covers the practical functioning of laws and administrative institutions.

By combining these responsibilities within one body, the government has provided the commission with a wider framework for reviewing legal and governance-related issues.

Kumar’s explanation that the government consulted experts before reconstituting the commission also highlights the administration’s stated intention to address these subjects through the new structure.

State Law Commission has existed since 1994

The government order traces the history of the Tamil Nadu State Law Commission to 1994, when it was first constituted. The body has subsequently been reconstituted several times.

Its previous reconstitution took place in June 2023 for a three-year term. That commission’s tenure expired on June 18, 2026.

The order also records that the government sanctioned the continuation of 29 temporary posts of officers and staff attached to the State Law Commission for one year from June 19, 2026.

The commission’s office is located at the SIDCO Buildings in Guindy, Chennai.

The timeline outlined in the government order forms the administrative basis for the minister’s explanation of why the earlier commission was replaced. The new body was constituted after the previous tenure ended, with a revised composition and an expanded set of responsibilities.

Minister targets Stalin over Periyar Library controversy

Alongside his explanation of the commission’s reconstitution, Kumar took aim at former Chief Minister MK Stalin.

The minister alleged that questions over the dissolution of the earlier panel were an attempt to divert public attention from the “Periyar Library Scam” controversy.

The issue concerns allegations relating to book purchases for the Periyar Arivulagam project. The minister’s remarks brought the controversy into the political exchange surrounding the State Law Commission.

However, the allegation about the motive behind questions over the panel represents Kumar’s political criticism and should be distinguished from the administrative details contained in the government order.

The government order establishes the previous commission’s tenure, the appointment of the new members and the revised terms of reference. The minister’s comments, meanwhile, set out the TVK government’s political response to criticism from the opposition.

With the new commission now constituted, Centre-State relations will continue to be examined as part of its broader work on legal and administrative reforms in Tamil Nadu.