The Rajamannar Commission was a three-member committee appointed by the DMK government of Tamil Nadu in 1969 to study the issue of Centre-State relations and recommend ways to strengthen state autonomy. The committee was chaired by Dr. P.V. Rajamannar, a former Chief Justice of the Madras High Court.
The Rajamannar Commission submitted its report in 1971, in which it made a number of radical recommendations.
Key Recommendations:
- Transfer more subjects to the State List: The commission recommended that the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution be modified in order to transfer more subjects to the state list. The aim was to give more autonomy to the state.
- Transferring residuary powers to the States: The commission recommended that the residuary powers, which are the powers that are not specifically listed in the Union or State Lists of the Seventh Schedule, be transferred to the States.
- Abolishing Article 356: The commission recommended that Article 356 of the Constitution, which allows the President to impose President’s rule on a State, be abolished.
- Abolishing the All-India Services: The commission recommended that the All-India Services, such as the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the Indian Police Service (IPS), and the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), be abolished.
- Replacing the Planning Commission with a statutory body: The commission recommended that the Planning Commission, which is an advisory body that is not accountable to Parliament, be replaced with a statutory body that is accountable to Parliament.
- The council of minister of the state should not act on the discretion of the governor of the state.
- The Finance Commission should be made as permanent entity.
- The planning commission should be scrapper and should be replaced by a statutory body.
The Rajamannar Commission’s recommendations were very radical and far-reaching, and they were not accepted by the Central government. However, the commission’s report has been studied and cited by many scholars and experts on Centre-State relations, and it continues to be relevant today.
The Rajamannar Commission’s report is important because it highlights the need for a more balanced and equitable relationship between the Centre and the States. The commission’s recommendations are aimed at strengthening state autonomy and giving the States more control over their own affairs.