Congress Demands Removal of Kerala PSC Officials Amid Recruitment Scandal

Thiruvananthapuram, October 31 (Daily Kiran) : Senior Congress leader MM Hasan has urged the Kerala government to recommend the removal of the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) chairman and its members to the President. This demand comes as the Crime Branch intensifies its investigation into the recruitment scandal involving the PSC.

Hasan stated that it is no longer legally or morally appropriate for the officials to remain in their positions. His call for action follows several developments in the ongoing investigation. The PSC chairman, M.R. Baiju, along with three other commission members, has already been questioned by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) from the Crime Branch.

On Saturday, PSC Secretary Saju George appeared before the SIT for questioning. The previous evening, the SIT arrested R. Hari, the suspended additional secretary of the PSC examination department, at a relative’s house in Kochi. Hari had been on the run for several days. Another accused, retired deputy secretary P. Satish, was apprehended two days earlier and is currently in judicial custody.

In a significant turn of events, the SIT has also filed a separate case against Baiju and other officials, alleging irregularities in the recruitment of fishery extension officers. Investigators claim that official powers were misused to manipulate rankings, benefiting unqualified candidates and depriving deserving applicants of their rightful opportunities. This has raised serious concerns about the credibility of the constitutional body.

The investigation has also uncovered alleged irregularities in the recruitment processes within the state planning board, where officials are accused of tampering with evaluation procedures. The High Court recently expressed strong objections to the slow pace of the investigation, questioning why key suspects had not yet been arrested or interrogated.

Hasan emphasized that the questioning of PSC officials by the Crime Branch is unprecedented in Kerala. Former Governor Rajendra V. Arlekar had previously written to the President, requesting the removal of the PSC chairman and the 15 other members of the 16-member board.

Hasan urged the government led by V.D. Satheesan to initiate the constitutional process for their removal immediately. He also suggested that the possibility of suspending the chairman and members from their official duties should be considered while the investigation is ongoing. He accused the commission of betraying unemployed youth and undermining public trust in the recruitment system, stating that the government cannot allow individuals facing serious allegations to remain in office.