A High Court judge in Belfast has criticised the Northern Secretary, Peter Hain, over the way the interim victims' commissioner was appointed.
Mr Justice Girvan said the appointment of Bertha McDougall was in breach of the accepted merit norms concerning public appointments and he also called for a high-level inquiry.
Mr Hain appointed Mrs McDougall as Interim Commissioner for Victims and Survivors of the Troubles last year.
She is the widow of a police reservist killed by the INLA in 1981.
An application for a judicial review challenging her appointment was brought by Brenda Downes, whose husband Sean was killed by an RUC plastic bullet in west Belfast in 1984.
Mr Justice Girvan held that Mr Hain had been motivated by an improper political purpose, namely a confidence-building gesture to the DUP.
The judge ruled Mr Hain had failed to take account of the fact there was no evidential basis for concluding that Mrs McDougall would command cross-community support.
He also said the case raised very serious issues which should be the subject of immediate and searching inquiry at a high level.
Mr Justice Girvan said his judgment should not be taken as in any way reflecting on Ms McDougall's competence or integrity during her tenure of office.
