New Delhi: The Maharashtra government has appointed senior IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe as secretary of a committee investigating alleged paper leaks and irregularities in the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC). The decision followed an 11-day protest by government job aspirants in Pune, who had demanded action against those responsible for alleged malpractice and the removal of MPSC Chairman Vivek Bhimanwar.
Bhimanwar has announced that he will go on leave until the inquiry is completed. Bhimanwar announced his decision in a post on X after the government declared the judicial inquiry. “The state government has announced a judicial inquiry into the MPSC paper leak case.
The government also agreed to withdraw criminal cases registered against the students. Throughout my life, I have always given utmost priority to morality. Therefore, I have decided to go on leave during this period rather than continuing to hold office until the inquiry is completed,” he said.
He made the announcement after talks between the state government and protesting candidates late on Sunday (October 11).
Earlier reporting noted: MUMBAI: Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) chairman Vivek Bhimanwar announced early Monday that he was going on leave until the judicial inquiry into alleged paper leaks and the commission’s functioning is completed. The agitation had intensified following allegations of a question paper leak in the Drug Inspector examination held in March. Aspirants had demanded accountability within the state recruitment body and called for the commission’s resignation. The government agreed to appoint an inquiry panel and keep the chairman away from office until the investigation is completed as part of the settlement with the protesters. The inquiry was one of several demands raised during the agitation at S M Joshi Bridge in Pune. It also agreed to withdraw cases registered against some representatives of the protest. Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) MLA Rohit Pawar joined the aspirants during the agitation and met Public Works Department Minister Shivendra Raje Bhosale and Congress MLA Vishwajeet Kadam. Pawar welcomed Mundhe’s appointment to the panel, saying, “We hope the committee will have the freedom to work properly. The candidates called off their protest late Sunday night after the government accepted their demand to keep Bhimanwar away from the chairman’s post until the inquiry was completed.
The candidates also sought a recruitment plan covering 70,000 government posts over three years, an increase in vacancies for the Group C examination scheduled for January and background checks on candidates appointed as MPSC chairman and secretary. The police had booked 15 protest representatives over allegations of holding the agitation without permission, obstructing traffic and violating prohibitory orders. Soon after Bhimanwar announced his decision to go on leave, MPSC aspirants ended their 10-day agitation in Pune early Monday.
The government said it would address these demands.
Earlier reporting noted: The state government has set up a high-level, five-member inquiry committee headed by former Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court Dilip Bhosale to probe allegations of paper leaks and recommend an overhaul of the MPSC’s functioning. Earlier reporting noted: IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe has been appointed secretary of the committee.
