Justice Joseph Kurian panel's office stripped bare within days of closure; Law Commission to take over

CHENNAI: Within a week of scrapping the Justice Joseph Kurian-led High-Level Committee on Union-State Relations, the panel's facility at the New State Guest House in Chepauk has been wiped out without a trace. The government is also reportedly planning to house the Law Commission there.

In the fast-moving developments, even the stationery bought for the panel has been returned. "Stationery items, printers and other office equipment for its functioning have been surrendered. These have now been handed over to the government," an official said.

No trace of the Kurian panel's functioning remained at the Chepauk facility, as the signboard was also removed on Tuesday. The State government plans to set up the recently reconstituted State Law Commission's office in the premises the committee vacated at the New State Guest House in Chepauk. Despite the weekend and Deepavali holiday in between, the government wiped out the Kurian panel's existence at the facility on Tuesday after announcing last Friday that it would end the committee's life.

The State government plans to shift the State Law Commission's office from the Thiru Vi Ka Industrial Estate in Guindy to the Chepauk premises.

The State Law Commission was recently reconstituted, with former judge D Krishnakumar as chairman. Former judge RMT Teekaa Raman and retired IAS officer TK Ramachandran are its full-time members. Retired district Judges P Mohan Doss and R Govindarnted as part-time members. The Government has appointed an officer in the rank of Secretary to the Law Department as Member-Secretary.

As directed by the Government Order, the discontinued High-Level Committee on Union-State Relations has handed over all its documents and legal papers to the State Law Commission.

The order noted that the State Law Commission was reconstituted on August 7, 2026, with a broad mandate to examine inter-State and Centre-State relations, review existing laws and recommend improvements to the State's legal and institutional framework.

Since the High-Level Committee was a non-statutory body and its functions substantially overlapped with those of the State Law Commission, the government decided to discontinue its services with immediate effect.