MPSC protest: Pune Police start legal action, issue notices to 80

The Pune Police have issued notices to 51 students and 29 coaching class and study-room operators for supporting or participating in the protests demanding greater transparency in Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) exams and the resignation of the commission’s chairman, people aware of the matter said on Tuesday.

The action came as the protests continued at three sites in Pune despite denial of police permission. Police said further proceedings, including registration of criminal cases, could follow if the protests continued without permission.

Thousands of job aspirants have been participating in the protests over issues concerning the commission’s functioning, examination patterns, recruitment, etc.

A police officer said organisers were instructed against the protests after permission was denied. “The protests continued, prompting the police to start collecting evidence through video recordings and documenting the situation at the protest sites,” the officer said.

Police said the recordings, notices and instructions issued to organisers and the continuation of the protests despite warnings would form the basis for further legal proceedings.

Police have also launched an inquiry after a drone was spotted flying over the protest site near SM Joshi Bridge. They were trying to establish who operated the drone and why it was being used.

Police said action could be taken if the drone was found to have been operated without the required permission, including for recording the protest. Security has been increased at all three protest locations to prevent any law-and-order situation, police said.

The protests in Pune are the latest in a series of such agitations. In July, student protests over examination irregularities forced the then Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan to resign. Job aspirants and student unions, agitating against alleged irregularities in recruitment exams for nearly a month, announced a suspension of their sit-in after the Jharkhand government conceded to almost all of their key demands.