Key facts
- Karnataka Governor Gehlot suspends KPSC Chairman
- Allegation: chairman secured illegal appointments for his daughters
- KPSC oversees Group A and B state government recruitment
- Governor has constitutional authority over PSC appointments
Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has ordered the suspension of the Karnataka Public Service Commission Chairman following explosive allegations that the official orchestrated illegal appointments for his own daughters, triggering a governance crisis at one of the state's most important constitutional recruitment bodies.
The KPSC is responsible for selecting candidates for senior Group A and B state government posts through competitive examinations — a process thousands of aspirants across Karnataka invest years preparing for. The allegation that the body's own chairman manipulated the system for personal family benefit has provoked fury among job-seekers, opposition parties and civil society groups.
The Governor's intervention reflects the constitutional gravity of the situation: PSC chairmen are appointed by the Governor and can be removed through a formal process, making the suspension a significant use of gubernatorial authority. The move is also politically charged given the ongoing tensions between Raj Bhavan and the Congress-led state government.
The suspension sets the stage for a formal inquiry into how the appointments were made and who else may have been complicit in the process. Opposition parties in Karnataka have demanded a CBI or independent investigation, while the state government faces questions about why action was not taken sooner.