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The PSC was first established by the 1939 Constitution during British colonial rule with the purpose of giving advice to the Governor on matters relating to employment in the Public Service. In 1939, the concept of appointing a commission to advise on Public Service matters was in line with political developments in other British colonies at the time. At first, the Governor had the right to appoint persons in the Public Service of Malta to serve on the Commission. Later, however, there was the belief that the Commission would be more likely to ensure fairness in decision making if its members were not themselves Public Service employees.
In 1945 a National Assembly was convened to draw up a new constitution which was to provide for the restoration of self-government. The Assembly did not regard the retention of the Commission, as a body reporting to the Governor, as compatible with this end, and voted against retaining the Public Service Commission.
Subsequently, Malta’s 1947 Constitution made no provision for the Public Service Commission. However, the Commission as established under the 1939 Constitution continued to function on an administrative basis.
The 1959 Constitution, which succeeded that of 1947, again provided for the establishment of a Public Service Commission and assumed its present day form as an independent body external to the Government, with the power of making binding recommendations on appointments and discipline in the Public Service.
The Commission was formally established in August 1960 by means of Legal Notice number 32. Its role was placed on a more formal footing with the enactment of the 1960 PSC Regulations, and was subsequently entrenched in the Constitution of Malta. The Commission has functioned continuously since then.