Maha panel to scrutinise current and ex-chiefs in MPSC irregularities probe

• A five-member inquiry panel will examine alleged MPSC paper leaks and irregularities, including the tenures of serving and former chairpersons and members

• Retired judge Dilip Bhosale will head the committee, with senior IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe appointed its secretary

• Aspirants ended their 10-day protest in Pune after assurances from the government; MPSC chairman Vivek Bhimanwar said he would remain on leave until the inquiry concluded

A Maharashtra government committee investigating alleged paper leaks and irregularities in Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) examinations will also scrutinise the tenures of current and former chairpersons and members of the recruitment body, officials said.

The five-member panel will be chaired by retired judge Dilip Bhosale. Senior IAS officer and Food and Drug Administration commissioner Tukaram Mundhe was named its secretary on Sunday. IPS officer Laxmi Gautam, former IAS officer Ganesh Patil and retired judge P.D. Naik will serve as members.

The announcement came as MPSC aspirants ended their 10-day protest at SM Joshi Bridge in Pune after receiving assurances from the state government on an inquiry and recruitment reforms.

State minister Shivendraraje Bhosale conveyed the panel’s composition to the protesters during a meeting on Sunday. He also assured them that the government would address their other demands.

Following the development, MPSC chairman Vivek Bhimanwar announced that he had proceeded on leave until the inquiry was completed.

The aspirants’ demands included withdrawing cases against some representatives of the agitation, recruiting for 70,000 posts over three years and increasing vacancies in the Group C examination scheduled for January. They also sought background checks on candidates for the posts of MPSC chairman and secretary before their appointment.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had proposed the inquiry last week, saying its remit would extend to both serving and former commission chairpersons and members.

Addressing the demand for Bhimanwar’s removal, Fadnavis said the paper leaks cited by protesters had occurred before the present chairman took charge.

“They demanded that the state government should send a recommendation to the president of India for the ouster of the present chairman,” he said, explaining that the government had instead proposed a judicial inquiry covering current and past MPSC leadership.

Fadnavis said that if the panel found misconduct by the chairperson, a recommendation would be sent to the president under Article 317 of the Constitution for appropriate action. The provision concerns the removal and suspension of Public Service Commission chairpersons and members.

NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar, who joined the aspirants’ agitation, welcomed Mundhe’s appointment and expressed hope that the panel would be allowed to function independently.

“We hope that the committee will have the freedom to work properly,” Pawar said.

He described the inquiry as necessary for the “purification” of the commission and said it should examine both alleged examination irregularities and the conduct of serving and former chairpersons and members.

Pawar added that Mundhe’s inclusion gave him confidence that the investigation would be transparent.

With PTI inputs