Former Home Minister and Congress MP P. Chidambaram welcomed Tamil Nadu’s decision to appoint a committee for suggesting state-level amendments to three newly enacted criminal laws, effective from July 1, 2024. Emphasizing that criminal law falls under the concurrent list of the Constitution, Chidambaram highlighted the competence of state legislatures to amend such laws in accordance with modern principles of criminal jurisprudence.
“I welcome the appointment of Justice (retd) Mr. K. Sathyanarayanan as the one-person Committee. I urge the Committee to conduct consultations with key stakeholders, including judges, lawyers, police, law teachers, scholars, and human rights activists,” Chidambaram stated in a post on X.
The initiative marks Tamil Nadu’s first step towards tailoring the new criminal laws to local needs. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin recently ordered the formation of a one-man committee, chaired by retired Madras High Court Justice M. Sathyanarayanan, to evaluate the legislation and propose amendments specific to the state.
Following a high-level meeting at the Secretariat, Stalin instructed officials to expedite the committee’s work. The panel will scrutinize the laws and consider amendments, including potential changes to their names at the state level. An official release confirmed that the committee will engage in extensive consultations with state-level stakeholders, aiming to submit its recommendations within a month.
This move by Tamil Nadu underscores the state’s proactive approach in aligning central legislation with local priorities, reflecting a broader trend towards ensuring laws are responsive to regional contexts and contemporary legal principles.