The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that sought to challenge the appointment of Parmar Ravi Manubhai as the chairperson of the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC), and issued a cautionary note to the petitioner against filing factually weak and publicity-driven cases.
A bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and Atul S. Chandurkar rejected the plea filed by advocate Brajesh, stating that PILs must be supported by substantial facts and not be motivated by attention-seeking intentions. “If you are filing a PIL then you have to give your life to it… Please do not go behind this publicity business,” the bench remarked during the hearing.
The PIL, filed earlier this year, had alleged that Manubhai’s appointment on March 15, 2024, violated the constitutional principle that mandates the selection of individuals with “impeccable character” for positions in public service commissions. The petitioner cited an ongoing corruption and forgery case against Manubhai filed by Bihar’s vigilance bureau, which is currently pending before a special judge in Patna, as grounds to question his integrity and eligibility.
On February 3, the apex court had issued notices to the Bihar government and Parmar, seeking their responses. It had also appointed advocate Vanshaja Shukla as amicus curiae to assist the court in examining the matter.
Despite the petitioner’s assertion that Manubhai was facing serious charges and therefore failed to meet the standards expected of a constitutional appointee, the court found the PIL lacking in factual merit and dismissed it.
