Home The Constitution Part XIV Article 317

Art. 317 Part XIV: Services Under the Union and the States

Removal and Suspension of a Member of a Public Service Commission

Exact text — Constitution of India

(1) Subject to the provisions of clause (3), the Chairman or any other member of a Public Service Commission shall only be removed from his office by order of the President on the ground of misbehaviour after the Supreme Court, on reference being made to it by the President, has, on inquiry... reported that the Chairman or such other member... ought on any such ground to be removed.

In Plain English

What this Article actually means

This Article makes removing a Public Service Commission member a genuinely difficult, judicially-supervised process — the President can only remove them for 'misbehaviour', and only after the Supreme Court itself conducts an inquiry and specifically reports that removal is warranted, not through a simple executive decision.

Why This Matters To You

How it shows up in everyday life

This is another layer of the same institutional-independence design seen elsewhere in the Constitution (like judges' and the Election Commissioner's protections) — it ensures the body responsible for fair, merit-based civil service recruitment can't be easily pressured or reshuffled by a government unhappy with its decisions.

Read alongside this one

Art. 316 — Appointment and Term of Office of Members

Frequently Asked

Quick answers about Article 317

What counts as 'misbehaviour' justifying removal?

The Constitution doesn't precisely define it, leaving the Supreme Court's inquiry process to determine on a case-by-case basis whether specific conduct meets this threshold — the key structural point is that only the Supreme Court's own inquiry, not the executive alone, can establish this.

← PreviousArticle 316: Appointment and Term of Office of Members Next →Article 318: Power to Make Regulations as to Conditions of Service of Members and Staff of the Commission

The text above reproduces Article 317 of the Constitution of India as amended to date, for general educational reference. It is public-domain legislative text, but we recommend cross-checking the authoritative version at legislative.gov.in or india.gov.in before relying on it for a legal matter. The explanation, examples and FAQs are general information, not legal advice — consult a qualified advocate for guidance on your specific situation.