Amid agitation by Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) aspirants over paper leaks, government has transferred MPSC secretary Mahendra Harpalkar, acting on a key demand.

The move came two days after a delegation of students met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and demanded the removal of Harpalkar and MPSC chairman Vivek Bhimanwar. While the government acted on the secretary demand, Fadnavis said the state government cannot remove the chairman.

“MPSC president is a constitutional post. The state government and governor cannot remove him from the post. They don’t have that right to do so. The decision rests with the president of India based on the recommendations of the SC,” Fadnavis said Wednesday.

The government issued Harpalkar’s transfer order on October 1. Protesters had held both Bhimanwar and Harpalkar responsible for alleged irregularities in recruitment exams. Fadnavis also assured the students of a large-scale recruitment drive over the next three years, including vacancies arising from retirements. A department-wise recruitment timetable will be prepared within a month, he said. He also that MPSC exams would be conducted offline and the government would consult student groups before decisions.