The MPSC probe panel announced by the Maharashtra government has yet to formally take shape, with FDA commissioner Tukaram Mundhe saying he has received neither an official communication nor an appointment order for the committee investigating paper leaks and examination irregularities.
Mundhe made the statement at a news conference on Thursday, despite the government announcing his appointment on Sunday. He is expected to serve as secretary of the five-member inquiry committee, which will be headed by former Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court Dilip Bhosale.
“No official communication or order in this regard has reached me,” Mundhe said. He added that oral discussions had taken place with the concerned authorities but did not identify the officials involved. “I know as much as what is reported in the media,” he said.
The proposed inquiry follows protests by MPSC aspirants in Pune, which continued for more than 10 days. The agitation was led by NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar, who had welcomed the government’s decision to appoint Mundhe to the committee. The protests focused on concerns around the functioning of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission and demands for action over alleged paper leaks and examination irregularities.
One of the protesters’ demands was the removal of MPSC chairman Vivek Bhimanwar. Bhimanwar went on leave from Monday and is expected to remain away until the inquiry is concluded, according to the report.
The government’s announcement had indicated that the inquiry would be conducted by a five-member committee under Bhosale, with Mundhe serving as secretary. However, Mundhe’s comments show that the administrative process required to formally constitute or operationalise his role had not reached him by Thursday.
The development leaves a gap between the public announcement of the inquiry mechanism and its formal communication to one of the officials named to carry it out. Mundhe declined to comment further on the matter after stating that he had not received an official order.
The government has not, in the supplied report, provided a further explanation for the absence of a formal communication or indicated when the committee’s proceedings will begin. The next official order or communication will determine the committee’s operational status and the timeline for the inquiry into the allegations raised by MPSC aspirants.
