Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin is expected to table a resolution in the state legislative Assembly on Tuesday, calling on the Central government to devolve more powers to states. The move underscores the DMK-led government’s consistent push for federalism and state autonomy.
This anticipated resolution comes in the wake of several recent actions by the Tamil Nadu government challenging central authority. Among them was the Assembly’s resolution against the Waqf (Amendment) Act and repeated appeals to exempt Tamil Nadu from the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). The latter was denied by the President, prompting CM Stalin to call it a “dark chapter in federalism.”
The push for more powers to the states gained momentum after a landmark Supreme Court verdict on April 8, which ruled that the Governor’s prolonged withholding of assent to 10 re-enacted state bills was “illegal and erroneous in law.” The apex court emphasized that a Governor must act in accordance with the advice of the state legislature and cannot reserve re-enacted bills for the President unless substantial changes are made.
Celebrating the verdict, CM Stalin hailed it as a “historic judgment” and a “victory for all state governments in India.” The bills in question, some of which had been pending since 2020, will now be considered law from the date they were re-submitted to the Governor.
The TN Assembly had also passed a resolution demanding the retrieval of the Katchatheevu island from Sri Lanka, further illustrating the state’s assertive stance on regional rights and autonomy.
Today’s expected resolution is seen as part of a broader campaign by the Tamil Nadu government to assert state rights within India’s federal structure, reinforcing calls for a more balanced distribution of powers between the Centre and states.
