The Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) is facing a new complaint over the appointment of Deputy Superintendents of Police (DySPs), even as a Crime Branch Special Investigation Team (SIT) continues to probe separate alleged irregularities in the Commission's recruitment to a senior post in the State Planning Board. The fresh complaint, filed in Thiruvananthapuram, raises questions about the speed and transparency of the DySP selection process.

The Fresh Complaint

The complaint was lodged by R.S. Sasikumar, chairman of the Save University Campaign Committee, who has taken the matter up directly with Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan. Sasikumar alleges that the DySP recruitment was completed at an unusually fast pace, casting doubt on the integrity of the selection process.

According to the complaint, the written examination was conducted in December last year, the rank list was published in the first week of May, and appointment orders were issued in June — a timeline critics describe as atypically swift for such a recruitment exercise.

Sasikumar further alleged that the candidate who secured the first rank — reportedly an SFI leader — had several criminal cases registered against him. The candidate has, however, firmly rejected these allegations, stating that he also features in the rank lists of other PSC examinations, and has alleged that the complaint is designed to block his appointment.

The Broader SIT Investigation

The new controversy emerges at a particularly sensitive moment for the PSC. The Crime Branch SIT, constituted by the Satheesan government shortly after it assumed office in May this year, is already investigating alleged manipulation in recruitment to a senior position in the State Planning Board.

The investigation has seen PSC Chairman Dr M.R. Baiju and three members of the Commission questioned by the SIT. The remaining 12 members are scheduled to be questioned from Monday. PSC Secretary Saju George is also due to appear before the SIT for a second consecutive day on the same date.

Notably, all 16 members of the current PSC — including its chairman — were appointed during the decade-long tenure of the previous Pinarayi Vijayan government, which ended in May 2026. This has added a political dimension to the scrutiny, with the current administration pressing the investigation forward.

Government's Position

The state government has maintained that the SIT probe will determine whether there were deliberate attempts to manipulate recruitment procedures and undermine the credibility of the PSC, which functions as Kerala's largest public recruitment agency. Officials have indicated that the questioning of senior functionaries, including the chairman and secretary, reflects the seriousness with which the government is treating the matter.

What This Means for Kerala's Recruitment Machinery

The compounding of fresh complaints with an ongoing criminal investigation places the PSC under unprecedented institutional pressure. Critics argue that if the allegations are substantiated, they could erode public confidence in competitive recruitment across the state. The PSC administers thousands of appointments annually across government departments, making its credibility central to the careers of lakhs of aspirants.

How the SIT resolves its investigation — and whether the DySP recruitment allegation triggers a parallel inquiry — will determine the scale of reforms the Commission may be compelled to undertake.