A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation led by Kerala BJP president and MLA Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Thursday, 5 November 2026, met President Droupadi Murmu in New Delhi, urging her to remove Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) Chairman M.R. Baiju and the body's members over alleged recruitment irregularities, corruption, and nepotism. The delegation invoked Article 317 of the Constitution, which empowers the President to refer such allegations to the Supreme Court for inquiry.

Key Allegations Against Kerala PSC

The delegation alleged that political patronage, favouritism, and backdoor appointments had gravely damaged the credibility of the constitutional body. They pointed specifically to the 13 July 2023 examination conducted for senior posts in the Kerala State Planning Board, citing it as a major instance of alleged manipulation.

According to their letter to the President, 10 questions carrying 58 marks were left unevaluated in the answer scripts of all 228 candidates, reportedly benefiting the candidate who secured the first rank. The delegation also flagged that the Crime Branch Special Investigation Team (SIT) had received 180 complaints relating to PSC examinations and had identified nine examinations for further investigation.

Article 317 and Constitutional Mechanism

Under Article 317 of the Constitution, the President can refer allegations against Public Service Commission members to the Supreme Court for an independent inquiry. If the Court reports that a member ought to be removed, the President is empowered to act on that finding. The BJP delegation urged President Murmu to act on a recommendation reportedly sent earlier by former Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar, and noted that the new Governor, Om Prakash Mathur, has also followed up on his predecessor's communication.

SIT Arrests and Ongoing Probe

The delegation's visit coincides with active legal proceedings. The SIT probing the Planning Board appointments has already arrested one PSC official and one retired official. The PSC Chairman has been questioned, and the questioning of the remaining 15 members is reportedly ongoing. The case has also drawn the attention of the Kerala High Court.

Rajya Sabha members C. Sadanandan and P.T. Usha were part of the BJP delegation and lent their voice to the demand. The leaders underscored that lakhs of job aspirants continue to await government appointments while allegations of irregularities persist within the body meant to ensure fair public recruitment.

Political and Constitutional Context

This is not the first time the Kerala PSC has faced scrutiny — the Commission has periodically been at the centre of controversy over its examination processes. However, the scale of the current probe, encompassing 180 SIT complaints, multiple arrests, and simultaneous High Court oversight, marks an escalation. The BJP's decision to take the matter directly to the President signals a broader political confrontation with the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala, which the opposition accuses of shielding the irregularities. The LDF government has not publicly responded to the latest BJP delegation as of the time of this report.