A 10-day protest by Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) aspirants in Pune ended late Sunday night after the state government announced the formation of a committee to investigate alleged irregularities in the recruitment body, including examination paper leaks.

Senior IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe, who serves as the state’s Food and Drug Administration commissioner, has been appointed secretary of the inquiry committee. Former judge Dilip Bhosale will head the panel, which will also include IPS officer Laxmi Gautam, former IAS officer Ganesh Patil and retired judge P D Naik.

The development followed discussions between the protesting aspirants and a government delegation led by Maharashtra minister Shivendra Raje Bhosale. The government informed the protesters that most of their demands had been accepted.

MPSC Chairman Vivek Bhimanwar subsequently announced that he had gone on leave until the inquiry was completed.

Why MPSC aspirants were protesting

The aspirants had been demonstrating at S M Joshi Bridge in Pune over irregularities in the functioning of the state recruitment body. Their demands included an investigation into alleged examination paper leaks, reforms in the commission and the removal of Bhimanwar as chairman.

The demand concerning the chairman’s position remained a major point of disagreement during discussions with the government.

Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) MLA Rohit Pawar, who participated in the agitation, suggested that Bhimanwar could be kept away from the chairman’s post until the inquiry was completed, arguing that the resignation process could take time.

The suggestion led to differences among the protesters, with some supporting the proposal while others insisted that the chairman be removed before they ended the agitation.

Minister Shivendra Raje Bhosale subsequently left the protest site to discuss the matter with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. He returned after approximately 15 minutes and informed the protesters that the government had agreed to their demand.

Following the government’s assurance, Vivekanad Patil, a representative of the aspirants, announced that the agitation was being called off for the time being.

What the Maharashtra government has agreed to

Apart from setting up the inquiry committee, the government said it would address several other demands raised by the aspirants.

These include withdrawing cases registered against some representatives of the agitation, recruiting candidates for 70,000 posts over three years and increasing the number of vacancies in the Group C examination scheduled for January.

The aspirants have also called for background checks on the MPSC chairman and secretary before their appointments.

The inquiry committee is expected to examine allegations concerning irregularities in the recruitment body. The investigation is intended to address concerns raised by candidates about the examination and recruitment process.

MPSC chairman Vivek Bhimanwar proceeds on leave

After the state government announced the inquiry, Bhimanwar said he had decided to proceed on leave until the investigation was completed.

In a post on X, he said the state government had announced a judicial inquiry into the MPSC paper leak case. He also stated that he had prioritised ethics throughout his life and had chosen to go on leave rather than continue in the post while the inquiry was underway.

The announcement came amid the aspirants’ demand for his removal and their calls for changes in the commission’s functioning.

Rohit Pawar welcomed Mundhe’s inclusion in the committee and expressed hope that the panel would be able to carry out its work independently.

The end of the protest follows the government’s assurances on an inquiry and other recruitment-related demands. The allegations of examination irregularities remain subject to investigation.

The INDIA bloc is intensifying its campaign against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, combining street protests with a legal challenge to the law that provides protection to election commissioners from certain legal proceedings.

Opposition leaders are gathering in Delhi for a fresh round of political activity, with the alliance planning to approach Chief Justice of India Surya Kant. Its proposed representation will raise allegations of electoral irregularities, the legal protection available to election commissioners, and the process used to select the Chief Election Commissioner.

The campaign follows several days of protests against Gyanesh Kumar, with the Opposition demanding accountability over allegations of vote theft and irregularities in electoral processes.

INDIA bloc questions legal protection for election commissioners

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge criticised the law enacted in 2023 that provides legal protection to the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners.

Speaking in Bengaluru, Kharge questioned why election commissioners had been granted what he described as special protection from legal accountability.

He alleged that the protection was followed by instances of vote theft, electronic voting machine manipulation and electoral fraud. These are allegations made by the Congress leader and should not be treated as established findings.

Kharge also argued that the legal safeguards could undermine accountability for actions taken by election commissioners.

The INDIA bloc’s proposed memorandum will challenge the 2023 law’s provisions concerning protection from investigation or punishment after retirement. It will also raise the issue of the Chief Justice’s exclusion from the selection process for the Chief Election Commissioner.

Opposition to submit memorandum to Chief Justice

The INDIA bloc has already met President Droupadi Murmu and submitted a memorandum outlining its concerns.

The alliance now plans to meet Chief Justice of India Surya Kant at around 5 pm on Monday, October 12, according to the report.

The proposed representation will detail the Opposition’s allegations against Gyanesh Kumar and raise concerns about the legal framework governing election commissioners.

It will also include allegations of vote theft through the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS). The Opposition intends to present documentary evidence in support of its claims.

The allegations and evidence are to be presented by the alliance; their inclusion in the memorandum does not, by itself, establish electoral wrongdoing.

Rahul Gandhi postpones Goa visit as protests continue

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has postponed a scheduled visit to Goa and has met party general secretaries and other leaders as the INDIA bloc prepares for its next steps.

The Congress has instructed all its Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members to remain in Delhi.

The Opposition’s campaign has continued since October 6, when INDIA bloc leaders marched from Parliament towards the Election Commission’s office. The protest drew national attention after several prominent leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, were detained.

The alliance subsequently held demonstrations in central Delhi, including a gathering following a lunch meeting and a sit-in at Rajghat.

The protests centre on demands for accountability from the Chief Election Commissioner over alleged electoral irregularities.

INDIA bloc cites scale of security deployment

Opposition leaders said that more than 30,000 police personnel and over 7,000 paramilitary troops had been deployed in Delhi over Saturday and Sunday.

They also said that around 3,000 protesters attempting to join the Cockroach Janata Party’s demonstration against Gyanesh Kumar were detained on Saturday.

The INDIA bloc leaders argued that the scale of the mobilisation required an unprecedented response, reflecting their determination to continue the campaign through protests and legal channels.

The developments mark a further expansion of the Opposition’s campaign, which is now proceeding on two fronts: demonstrations against the Chief Election Commissioner and a proposed legal challenge to the protections and procedures governing the Election Commission.

Delhi and the National Capital Region woke up to heavy rainfall and thunderstorms on Monday morning, October 12, as changing weather conditions brought rain to several parts of the region. Waterlogging was reported in multiple areas, affecting local conditions during the morning hours.

The downpour also brought cooler weather to the national capital and surrounding areas. The rainfall comes amid forecasts of further rain and thunderstorms in Delhi-NCR.

Waterlogging reported in several areas

Heavy rain led to water accumulation in several parts of Delhi. The Jhandewalan Temple area in Karol Bagh was among the locations where waterlogging was reported.

The conditions highlighted the local impact of the morning downpour, particularly in areas where accumulated rainwater can affect movement.

Thunderstorms accompany rainfall

The rainfall was accompanied by thunderstorms, with the India Meteorological Department forecasting continued moderate to heavy rain and thunderstorms over Delhi-NCR for the next two to three hours, according to a report published on Monday morning.

Residents and commuters should follow official weather and traffic updates for information about changing conditions.

Rain brings cooler weather to Delhi-NCR

The heavy rainfall brought a noticeable change in weather conditions across the region, with cooler conditions following the downpour.

The development comes as Delhi-NCR experiences unsettled weather on October 12. Further rainfall and thunderstorms could affect local conditions through the morning.