The
public Service Commission is a body created by the Constitution
of India. The provisions relating to the Union Public
Service Commission at the Centre and other State public
Service Commissions have been laid down in Chapter II
of part XIV of the Constitution.
The provisions in the Constitution ensure the competence
of the Commission to deal with the matters relating to
the services and enable them to discharge their duties
in a fair and impartial manner, free from influence from
any quarter. The Chairman and Members of the Commission
are appointed by the Governor of the State. The composition
of the Commission is such that as nearly as one half of
the members of it shall be persons who on the date of
their appointment have at least 10 years of service under
the Government. The Chairman or any other Member of the
Commission can hold office for a period of six years or
till he or she attains the age of 62 years whichever is
earlier. On expiry of the term, the Chairman or any other
Member is ineligible for re-appointment under the Central
or the State Government. But the Chairman of the Commission
may be appointed as the Chairman or Member of the Union
Public Service Commission or the Chairman of another Public
Service Commission for another term. A Member of the Commission
may be appointed as the Chairman of the Commission or
as the Member of the Union Public Service Commission for
another term. The Chairman or any other Member of the
Commission can be removed from office only by the President
of India in accordance with the procedure laid down in
the Constitution. The conditions of service of the Chairman
or a Member once appointed cannot be varied to his disadvantage.
The expenses connected with the Public Service Commission
are not voted but are charged on the Consolidated Fund
of State.
The duties and functions of the Commission have been laid
down in Art, 320 of the Constitution and they are:
A) To make recruitment to various posts under
i) The Services of the State
ii) The Kerala State Electricity Board
iii) The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation
iv) The Local Authorities
v) The Co-operative Sector and
vi) Various other companies and Corporation
B)
To render advice on all matters relating to
i)
The methods of recruitment to Civil Services posts;
ii) The principles to be followed in making appointments
to Civil Services and posts and in making promotions and
transfers from one service to another and in the suitability
of candidates for such appointments, promotions, transfers.
iii) The all disciplinary matters affecting a person serving
under the Government in Civil Capacity
iv) On any claim in respect of the cost incurred in defending
legal proceedings relating to the acts in the execution
of duty, to be paid put of the consolidated fund of the
state.
v) On any claim for the award of pension in respect of
injuries sustained by a person while serving under the
Government, in a Civil Capacity and any question as to
the amount of any such award.
Under
the proviso to Article 320 (3) of the Constitution of
India, the Governor of Kerala has made the Kerala Public
Service Commission (Consultation) Regulations, 1957 specifying
the matters in which it shall not be necessary for the
Commission to be consulted.
The Governor has also made under Article 318 of the Constitution,
Regulations to determine the number of Members of the
Commission and their conditions of service and to make
provisions with respect to the number of members on the
staff of the Commission and their conditions of Service.
These regulations are called Kerala Public Service Commission
(Composition and Conditions of Service of Members and
Staff) Regulations, 1957.