Arlekar urges President to remove Kerala PSC chief over alleged irregularities

Former Kerala governor Rajendra Arlekar asked President Droupadi Murmu to remove PSC chairman M R Baiju. The rare recommendation intensifies scrutiny of alleged examination and recruitment irregularities.

In Short

• Arlekar wrote to President Murmu shortly before his Tamil Nadu transfer
• Crime Branch widened its probe beyond the State Planning Board examination
• Student organisations submitted complaints that prompted an internal vigilance review

Former Kerala governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar recommended the removal of Kerala Public Service Commission chairman M R Baiju over alleged irregularities in the recruitment body, news agency Press Trust of India reported, citing sources.

Arlekar sent a letter to President Droupadi Murmu about a week before he was transferred to Tamil Nadu, detailing the reasons for his recommendation. Officials described the move as rare and said no such action had previously been reported in the state's history.

Arlekar served as Kerala governor and also held additional charge of Tamil Nadu before being transferred to the neighbouring state. He was relieved of his duties as Kerala governor on October 23 and succeeded by Om Prakash Mathur.

Lok Bhavan sources told PTI that Arlekar cited allegations of irregularities and an investigation into the functioning of the statutory body in his letter to the President. He also referred the matter to the Supreme Court, they said.

The Kerala PSC is responsible for recruitment to state government services. Its members are appointed for six-year terms.

The development comes amid a Crime Branch investigation into alleged irregularities in the PSC examination for the post of chief of the State Planning Board. The investigation was later expanded to cover alleged irregularities in other PSC examinations.

According to Lok Bhavan sources, the Yuva Morcha and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad had submitted a complaint to Arlekar while he was governor. He then sought a report on the allegations from the PSC's internal vigilance wing and examined the police investigation report concerning the commission.

The Kerala High Court had recently criticised the state government over what it called a lacklustre investigation into the PSC case.

Arlekar's recommendation to remove Baiju followed complaints, internal scrutiny and a police investigation into alleged irregularities in Kerala PSC examinations.

- Ends