Tamil Nadu names two ministers to Southern Zonal Council under TVK govt
Synopsis
With a Gazette notification dated 26 July, Tamil Nadu's TVK-led coalition has made its first mark on the Southern Zonal Council — nominating two ministers and expanding its administrative bench. The move formally closes the chapter on the previous government's 2021 representation and signals the new administration's intent to engage actively in the Centre's key inter-state coordination forum.
Key Takeaways
Tamil Nadu nominated R.
Nirmalkumar and Rajmohan as members of the Southern Zonal Council on 26 July 2025 .
These are the first appointments to the Council under the TVK-led coalition government , which took office in May 2025 .
Joseph Vijay heads the state's delegation to the forum.
Manivasan , Additional Chief Secretary, has been named second Adviser to the Council alongside Chief Secretary M.
The appointments were notified under G.O.
461 , replacing the previous government's 2021 order.
The Council includes Chief Ministers and senior ministers from Tamil Nadu , Kerala , Karnataka , Andhra Pradesh , and Telangana .
The Tamil Nadu government has nominated two Cabinet ministers to the Southern Zonal Council, the Centre's key inter-state coordination forum, marking the first such appointments under the TVK-led coalition government that assumed office in May 2025. The nominations, formalised through a Gazette notification on 26 July, replace the previous government's 2021 order.
Ministers Nominated
R. Nirmalkumar, Minister for Energy Resources and Law, and Rajmohan, Minister for School Education, Tamil Development, Information and Publicity, have been appointed as members of the Council. They will represent Tamil Nadu alongside Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, who leads the state's delegation to the high-level forum.
Administrative Representation Expanded
The government has also broadened its administrative presence at the Council by appointing K. Manivasan, Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Prohibition and Excise Department, as the second Adviser to the Southern Zonal Council. He will serve alongside Chief Secretary M. Saikumar, who continues as the state's principal adviser. The appointments were notified under G.O. Ms No. 461, issued under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956.
What the Southern Zonal Council Does
The Southern Zonal Council is one of five such bodies established under the States Reorganisation Act to foster cooperation between the Union government and the states on matters of common interest. Convened periodically by the Centre, it brings together Chief Ministers, senior ministers, and Chief Secretaries of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. The forum deliberates on infrastructure, internal security, border management, river water disputes, transport connectivity, disaster management, social welfare, and minority welfare, among other governance issues affecting the southern region.
Change from Previous Representation
Under the previous DMK government, Tamil Nadu's Council delegation comprised then Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, then Industries Minister T.R.B. Rajaa, and then Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister P.K. Sekarbabu. The new nominations formally end that arrangement. The TVK-led coalition's first representation in the Council is seen as a step toward asserting Tamil Nadu's voice in regional policy discussions and collaborative decision-making on issues affecting the southern states.
Significance of the Appointments
The nominations are the first from the TVK-led government since it came to power and signal the administration's intent to engage actively with the Centre's cooperative federalism framework. The Southern Zonal Council serves as a critical platform for resolving inter-state policy differences, and Tamil Nadu's timely re-nomination ensures continuity in the state's participation in these deliberations. All eyes will now be on the Council's next meeting, where the new delegation is expected to present Tamil Nadu's positions on pending inter-state matters.
Point of View
But the timing matters. Having assumed office in May, the coalition is now placing its representatives in every inter-state mechanism — signalling institutional consolidation rather than just electoral victory. The Southern Zonal Council is no ceremonial body: river water disputes, border management, and internal security coordination all run through it. Tamil Nadu's active participation — or absence — directly shapes southern India's collective bargaining posture with the Centre. The real test will come at the next Council meeting, where the new delegation will need to carry forward unresolved positions on the Cauvery and Mullaperiyar disputes without missing a beat.
NationPress
26 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which ministers has Tamil Nadu nominated to the Southern Zonal Council in 2025?
Tamil Nadu has nominated R. Nirmalkumar , Minister for Energy Resources and Law, and Rajmohan , Minister for School Education, Tamil Development, Information and Publicity, as members of the Southern Zonal Council. They join Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, who leads the state's delegation.
What is the Southern Zonal Council and why does it matter?
The Southern Zonal Council is one of five inter-state coordination bodies set up under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956. It brings together the governments of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana to resolve shared issues including river water disputes, internal security, infrastructure, and disaster management.
Why are these appointments significant?
They mark the first representation from the TVK-led coalition government, which came to power in May 2025, in the Southern Zonal Council. The nominations formally replace the previous government's 2021 order and ensure continuity in Tamil Nadu's participation in regional policy deliberations.
Who represented Tamil Nadu in the Southern Zonal Council under the previous government?
Under the previous DMK government, Tamil Nadu was represented by then Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, then Industries Minister T.R.B. Rajaa, and then Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister P.K. Sekarbabu.
Who are the advisers Tamil Nadu has appointed to the Southern Zonal Council?
Chief Secretary M. Saikumar continues as Tamil Nadu's principal adviser to the Council. K. Manivasan, Additional Chief Secretary of the Home, Prohibition and Excise Department, has been newly appointed as the second Adviser, expanding the state's administrative representation at the forum.
