ppr 2

Spoils systemitch

Aghast at the form of spoils-system haunting the public service commissions, the Supreme Court observed in one such case concerning the Bihar government: “The Public Service Commissions which have been given the status of constitutional authorities and which are supposed to be totally independent and impartial while discharging their function in terms of Article 320 have become victims of spoil[s] system” (Upendra Narayan Singh, 2009 ).

Little did one realise that the warning of the Supreme Court would not be taken seriously by political parties. The result was that the 11 appointments made by the State Governor to the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission were set aside by the Madras High Court; further, the Supreme Court refused to stay the order.