NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday sought a response from the Bihar government on a PIL challenging the appointment of Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) chairperson Parmar Ravi Manubhai.
A bench comprising Justices P S Narasimha and Manoj Misra took note of submissions by petitioner and lawyer Brajesh Singh, who questioned the appointment of Manubhai as BPSC chief.
However, the court was critical of Singh’s involvement, stating that a lawyer with no direct connection to the BPSC should refrain from filing such PILs.
ALSO READ: BPSC sends notices to politicians, tutors over exam allegation charges
“As a lawyer, you should keep away from filing these kinds of PILs when you have no locus or relation with the BPSC,” the bench remarked.
Despite this, the court proceeded to issue notices to the Bihar government and the BPSC chairperson, while also appointing an amicus curiae to examine the matter further.
The PIL contended that Manubhai’s appointment on March 15, 2024, violated constitutional norms, which mandate that only individuals with an “impeccable character” should hold such positions.
It alleged that Manubhai was an accused in a corruption case registered by Bihar’s vigilance bureau, with the matter currently pending before a special judge in Patna.
ALSO READ: Delhi Elections voting | Tilak Nagar report: Broken roads, dirty water but AAP’s Jarnail favourite
The petition further argued that Manubhai’s integrity was questionable due to the serious nature of the charges against him, including corruption and forgery.
As such, it asserted that he did not meet the eligibility criteria for heading the state’s public service commission. The Supreme Court’s intervention has now put the Bihar government under scrutiny regarding the controversial appointment.
Parmar, a 1992 batch IAS officer of Bihar cadre, was posted as Additional Chief Secretary of Mines and Geology Department of the state government. He was due to retire in November 2024.
After the tenure of BPSC chairman Atul Prasad ended on February 12, the General Administration department had given the charge of chairman of BPSC to Imtiaz Ahmed Karimi, a member of the Commission, till the regular appointment of the new chairman.
