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The Kerala High Court on Saturday questioned the progress of the investigation into alleged irregularities in a Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) examination for a senior position in the State Planning Board.
The court asked how investigators could proceed without questioning a key person involved in the selection process.
It also remarked that if the PSC and the government were ‘Bhai bhai’ (like brothers), people would have reasons to suspect the process.
The observations came during a hearing on the PSC’s plea to quash the Crime Branch investigation.
The government informed the court that the investigation remained ongoing but alleged that the PSC was not cooperating.
The Commission maintained that a clerical error had caused the irregularities and denied any deliberate attempt to manipulate the selection process.
It argued that the investigation lacked authorisation under the applicable rules.
The government disputed this claim, stating that no rules prohibited the probe. The court scheduled the next hearing for October 27.
Unevaluated Answers Trigger Recruitment Dispute
The case concerns the recruitment of a Chief for the Industry and Infrastructure Division of the State Planning Board. The PSC examined it in July 2023.
The process came under scrutiny after a candidate discovered that several answers had not been evaluated. The Crime Branch alleged that 10 questions carrying 58 marks remained unchecked.
The original merit list placed Arun J Prathap first, and he joined the Planning Board. Shyam Krishnan, initially ranked third, challenged the evaluation process.
Following revaluation and interviews, Krishnan moved to first place, while Prathap dropped to fifth.
Investigators are examining whether the lapse resulted from an unintentional technical error or deliberate wrongdoing.
The case has raised concerns about the PSC’s responsibility to ensure fair and transparent recruitment.
The High Court’s latest observations have intensified scrutiny of the Commission’s handling of the investigation.
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