A recommendation seeking the removal of Kerala Public Service Commission chairman M R Baiju and its members has put Kerala’s public recruitment system under unprecedented institutional scrutiny, with the final decision now resting with President Droupadi Murmu under Article 317 of the Constitution.
Former Kerala governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar reportedly sent the recommendation to the President days before handing over charge to his successor, Om Prakash Mathur. Arlekar was relieved of his duties in Kerala on October 23 after also holding additional charge of Tamil Nadu, according to a report by The Times of India.
The recommendation followed multiple complaints concerning the functioning of the statutory commission, sources told the newspaper. The Kerala PSC is responsible for conducting recruitment examinations and recommending candidates for appointments to government services in the state, making its functioning central to the integrity of public-sector hiring.
The development comes as the Crime Branch investigates alleged irregularities in a PSC appointment to the state planning board. The investigation was later expanded to cover alleged irregularities in other PSC examinations. The probe has reportedly made limited progress because the PSC chairman, members and officials did not appear before the investigation team, according to the report.
The Kerala High Court on Saturday made strong observations about the commission and the state government while hearing matters linked to the investigation. The court questioned the slow progress of the probe and asked whether the government was maintaining a “bhai bhai” arrangement with opposing parties in the case. News of Arlekar’s recommendation emerged the following day.
The recommendation does not by itself remove the chairman or members from office. Article 317 provides that the President can remove the chairman or a member of a state public service commission for misbehaviour only after referring the matter to the Supreme Court for an inquiry. If the Supreme Court reports that the person should be removed, the President may issue an order to that effect.
The Governor may suspend the concerned office-holder after the matter has been referred to the Supreme Court, pending the President’s final order. Article 317 also permits removal without a Supreme Court reference in specified circumstances, including insolvency, taking paid employment outside official duties during the term, or being considered by the President unfit to continue because of infirmity of mind or body.
Sources said the Yuva Morcha and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad had submitted complaints against the commission to Arlekar during his tenure. He subsequently sought a report from the PSC’s internal vigilance wing and examined a police investigation report into the allegations before writing to the President, they said.
The reported move places the next steps within a constitutional process rather than under the direct control of the Kerala government or the Governor. The President’s decision and any possible reference to the Supreme Court will determine whether the recommendation develops into formal removal proceedings.
