Panel proposed to investigate Maharashtra Public Service Commission heads amid leaks

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has sent a proposal to Governor Jishnu Dev Varma to set up a committee to look into the conduct of past and current heads and members of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission. The step follows protests by exam aspirants who are unhappy with how the commission works and want the resignation of its chairman, Vivek Bhimanwar. ## Inquiry Plan The proposed committee is to be led by a retired high court judge and must submit its findings within three months. The state government will base its next steps on this report. The recommendation falls under Article 317 of the Constitution, which deals with how public service commission members and chairpersons are removed or suspended. Fadnavis stated that if the inquiry uncovers wrongdoing, the state will ask the President of India to remove the officials. He also noted that asking for the removal of a chairperson who was not in office during the paper leak is not right. ## Protests and Actions Job aspirants have been demonstrating in Pune for six days, demanding changes such as an objective or descriptive test format, alongside the chairman's exit. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi may meet these students on October 7 or 8. Meanwhile, the state has already ended the deputation of MPSC secretary Mahendra Uttamrao Harpalkar. ## Context State public service commissions hold recruitment tests for government jobs, making their fair operation vital for lakhs of young job seekers across India. When exam security or fairness comes into question, public protests often follow because careers depend heavily on these results.