KATHMANDU: Chairperson of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee, Ramhari Khatiwada, has clarified that he supported the inclusion of the “cooling-off period” provision in the Federal Civil Service Bill from the very beginning.
In his statement to the parliamentary probe committee led by lawmaker Jeevan Pariyar, Khatiwada said the clause was introduced after thorough deliberations during one of the most significant lawmaking processes following the promulgation of the constitution.
According to him, clause-by-clause discussions on the bill began on September 5, 2024, and a subcommittee was entrusted with the responsibility to review the provisions.
Khatiwada said the committee believed the cooling-off period was necessary to prevent senior government officials, particularly those in special and first-class positions, from using political connections to secure appointments immediately after retirement.
“High-ranking civil servants repeatedly requested the committee to remove the cooling-off period provision,” he stated. “But in our meeting on May 16, we endorsed the two-year cooling-off period, adding the word resignation to the provision.”
He clarified that while the initial proposal included a one-year waiting period, the committee extended it to two years in its final recommendation. He also revealed that during ministerial-level discussions, the signing process on the bill was suddenly halted following a phone call received by Education Minister Raghujī Pant.
Khatiwada insisted that the provision was meant to apply to both civil service and government employees and denied any personal involvement in tampering with the bill, despite allegations to the contrary.
He further stated that he participated in the committee’s meetings on July 17 and 22, where he argued that the cooling-off period would have legal implications and urged the concerned ministries to study its implementation seriously.
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