The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Bihar government regarding a PIL challenging the appointment of Parmar Ravi Manubhai as chairperson of the Bihar Public Service Commission. A bench comprising Justices P.S. Narasimha and Manoj Misra took note of the submissions from lawyer and petitioner Brajesh Singh, who challenged Manubhai's appointment as the head of the Commission. The bench observed that a lawyer, who has no connection to the functioning of the BPSC, has filed the PIL.
Bench appoints amicus curiae to pursue PIL
While issuing notices to the state government and the BPSC chairperson, the bench remarked, "As a lawyer, you should avoid filing these types of PILs when you have no locus or connection with the BPSC." Furthermore, the bench appointed an amicus curiae to pursue the PIL.
The plea was filed on March 15, 2024, stating that it contravenes the constitutional mandate of appointing only individuals with an "impeccable character" as chairpersons or members of public service commissions.
What was said in the PIL?
According to the PIL, Parmar was an accused in the alleged corruption case registered by Bihar’s vigilance bureau and the matter was pending before a special judge in Patna. "Thus apparently, respondent number 2 (Parmar) is facing serious charges of committing the offence of corruption and forgery and as such his integrity is doubtful and therefore, he ought not to have been appointed as the chairman of BPSC," the petition said.
It claimed that Parmar did not fulfil the basic eligibility criteria for being appointed to the constitutional post of chairperson as he was not a person with an impeccable character.
(With Inputs from PTI)