Kerala Chief Minister raises questions over former Governor's recommendation to remove PSC Chairman

Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan has strongly criticised the recommendation made by former Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar to President Droupadi Murmu to remove Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) Chairman M.R. Baiju. Addressing the media after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, the Chief Minister stated that the recommendation to dismiss the PSC Chairman and the Commission was made without following the prescribed procedure. He emphasised that, according to the Constitution, it is mandatory to consult the state government before making such significant recommendations, but in this case, not a single discussion was held with the state government.

Chief Minister Satheesan clarified that this procedural error by the Governor should not be used to cover up the irregularities occurring within the PSC. He accused the CPI(M)-led opposition of running a campaign to protect the PSC Chairman and members by highlighting the Governor's actions. The Chief Minister said that the Governor's recommendation and the irregularities in the PSC are two separate issues. No person involved in any wrongdoing within the PSC will be protected under the pretext of what the Governor has done.

The entire controversy began with the recruitment examination held for senior positions in the State Planning Board. According to an NDTV report, following this examination, 10 descriptive questions worth 58 marks were not evaluated in the answer sheets of all 228 candidates. Nevertheless, the PSC published the rank list and made appointments. When the matter reached the Kerala High Court, the PSC argued that this was a clerical and computer-related error. However, an investigation by the Crime Branch's Special Investigation Team (SIT) revealed that had these questions been evaluated properly, the candidate ranked first would not have secured a place in the rank list.

The High Court criticised the slow pace of the investigation and questioned why the recruitment agency was not cooperating with the probe. Following this pressure, the SIT arrested former PSC Deputy Secretary P. Satyan last week. There is now a possibility that Chairman M.R. Baiju will also be summoned for questioning. The Chief Minister stated that "shocking details" have emerged in the Crime Branch investigation. Preliminary investigations have revealed that the PSC has appointed its associates, relatives, and people close to the party to various positions. Expressing his grief, he said that poor youths studied for exams, took coaching classes, and waited for a long time, but were sidelined to secure positions for selected individuals and party associates.

The Chief Minister further stated that these irregularities are not limited to just one examination. The police have received as many as 180 complaints so far. Due to this, the scope of the investigation has been expanded, which will now include the recruitment processes for Assistant Motor Vehicle Inspector, Fisheries Officers, and Gulf Board Inspectors. Satheesan assured that the government would not make any compromise on this matter and strict legal action would be taken against the guilty. Emphasising the need for a "clean-up exercise" in the Commission, he said that the credibility of the PSC would be restored.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister also responded to other administrative issues. When asked about the transfer of IAS officers, he said that these transfers were carried out in accordance with established rules. He described the decision to change the Chairman of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) as a routine administrative decision. He dismissed reports that these transfers were made without the approval of the Civil Service Board.

Regarding the issuance of liquor licenses, the Chief Minister criticised the officials. He said that there has been undue haste in granting licenses to bars and such licenses should not be issued without the knowledge of the government. He announced that the government will soon announce a new liquor policy. Along with this, he hinted that the power given to Deputy Commissioners to grant bar licenses through rule amendments by the previous LDF government would be reconsidered. This arrangement will be changed in the new policy.

Finally, the Chief Minister expressed sympathy regarding the protests being carried out by LP/UP school teachers (LPST). He stated that the government has already held discussions with them eight times. Seeing the teachers cut their hair as part of the protest, the Chief Minister said that he became emotional and was moved to tears.

According to reports by The Hindu and NDTV, this entire sequence of events is sparking a serious debate on the issue of transparency in Kerala's administration and recruitment process.

Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar served as the former Governor of Kerala, playing the role of the constitutional head of the state.