Punjab Public Service Commission & Controversies

    One of the important department of Punjab Government is under storms of controversies from almost one and half decades due to one reason or another and surprisingly during this period state is rule by different parties. Just recently it again catches the eyes of public because of Punjab Vigilance Bureau’s report in which it raises the fingers on to Punjab Public Service Commission’s selection of three hundred and twelve doctors as it has found irregularities on to the process of selection and lashes on to the members of PPSC. In the year 1995-96 then chief minister of Punjab state Harcharan Singh Brar, who was chief minister of state for the period of six months, appointed Ravinderpal Sidhu as President of PPSC. Later on Sidhu was found guilty of taking bribe from selected candidates, surprisingly on 10th October and then 26th December,2001, Parkash Singh Badal endorse his approval by requesting to then Prime Minster to nominate Sidhu as member of PPSC, but his request was not approved by Prime Minster. Then later on when congress party comes into power in the state in the year 2002, chief minister of state ask Sidhu to step down, but Sidhu deny accepting it, later on Punjab State Vigilance Cell raided on to the Sidhu’s government residential premises and recovered huge money which was declared by department as bribe, believed taken from one aspirant who want his selection and it was also seen by public on TV screen and wad of notes recovered from the lockers of Sidhu.
    Its not hidden from anybody that selections by recruiting agency is not based on the merit of candidates but often based on other grounds. Report file by Punjab Vigilance Bureau has accused that members of commission to favour there relatives or known has superseded normal procedure. Government agencies ignore the basic criteria of merit instead they opt or go for another option, may be pressure from some sectors or another reason, but if anybody join the government department after giving money, then certainly not only his first target would be to get back the money he spent plus also earn money many fold of it, and it will ignite the demon of corruption and public will have to grind in it.