MPSC Aspirants End Protest as Tukaram Mundhe Joins Probe Panel

GG News Bureau
Pune, 12th Oct: Aspirants of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) called off their 10-day agitation late Sunday after the Maharashtra government agreed to establish an inquiry committee to investigate alleged irregularities, including paper leaks, in the recruitment body.

The committee will be chaired by former judge Dilip Bhosale and include senior IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe, IPS officer Laxmi Gautam, former IAS officer Ganesh Patil and retired judge P D Naik. Following the government’s announcement, MPSC chairman Vivek Bhimanwar said he had proceeded on leave until the inquiry was completed.

The protesters had been demonstrating at S M Joshi Bridge in Pune, demanding accountability and reforms in the commission. Their primary demand was Bhimanwar’s removal from the chairman’s post.

Government accepts key demands
A delegation led by Maharashtra minister Shivendra Raje Bhosale met the protesters and conveyed the government’s decision to form the inquiry committee. The agitation remained uncertain for some time as protesters differed over whether Bhimanwar’s leave would be sufficient or his removal was necessary.

NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar, who had joined the agitation, suggested keeping the chairman away from his post until the inquiry concluded. Bhosale subsequently consulted Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and returned to inform the protesters that the government had agreed to their demand for the chairman to remain away during the inquiry.

Following the assurance, protest representative Vivekanad Patil announced that the agitation had been called off for now.

The government also indicated that it would consider other demands, including withdrawing cases against some protest representatives, recruiting for 70,000 posts over three years, increasing vacancies in the Group C examination scheduled for January, and conducting background checks before appointing the MPSC chairman and secretary.

Bhimanwar opts for leave amid inquiry
In a post on X, Bhimanwar said he had decided to proceed on leave following the announcement of a judicial inquiry into the alleged MPSC paper leak case. He said he had always prioritised ethics and would remain away from the post until the inquiry was completed.

Pawar welcomed Mundhe’s inclusion in the committee and expressed hope that the panel would be able to function independently. He said representatives of the protesting students had also submitted a draft proposing reforms to the commission.

The agitation had escalated after Pune Police registered a case against 15 protest representatives for allegedly organising the demonstration without permission, obstructing traffic and violating prohibitory orders. Separately, five people were booked over the alleged flying of a drone at the protest site.

Pawar later visited Vishrambaug police station and asked that a case be registered against him as well, saying the protesters’ concerns affected nearly 25 lakh students directly or indirectly. He urged the state government to prioritise the aspirants’ demands.

The inquiry committee’s findings and the implementation of the promised reforms will now be closely watched by MPSC aspirants across Maharashtra.