As per Proviso 5 to Rule 13 of the Kerala Public Service Commission Rules of Procedure the Kerala Public Service Commission has the power to extend the validity of the ranked lists. Proviso 5 to Rule 13 reads as follows;
"Provided further that if the Commission is satisfied of a existence of a period of general ban declared by the Government on the reporting of vacancies to the Public Service Commission or of any other circumstances or of any extraordinary situation in which the reporting of vacancies by the appointing authorities is prevented or restricted or delayed, the Commission shall have the power to keep alive the ranked lists which are normally due to expire during the said period for such periods as may be decided by the Commission subject to a minimum period of three months or for such further periods but not exceeding one and half year in the aggregate. If the commission so decides it shall issue a notification keeping alive the ranked lists in the above manner and shall advise candidates from such ranked lists to the vacancies reporting during such extended period of validity of the ranked list.”
The Hon'ble High Court of Kerala , in the judgment dated 17.06.2022, passed in OP (KAT) 359/2021 and connected cases has held that, when the Public Service Commission Extends ranked lists by exercising the power under Proviso 5 to Rule 13, there has to be a minimum extension for a period of three months.