KATHMANDU: The parliamentary probe committee examining errors in the Federal Civil Service Bill, 2023, has revealed that the absence of a clear cooling-off period or mandatory rest duration in Nepal’s civil service system has led to a corrupt and unethical governance structure.
The committee’s report highlights an unholy alliance between political leadership and senior bureaucrats, resulting in the monopolization and misuse of state resources by the same individuals.
The report notes that while Nepal’s civil service laws, including the Civil Service Act, 1993, and its regulations, contain some indirect references to rest periods for government employees, there is no explicit legal provision for a cooling-off period. This lack of clarity has allowed some senior officials to obtain important government appointments before completing their full tenure, often using questionable methods.
The committee’s findings state that this legal gap has contributed to a governance system rife with corruption and unethical conduct. The intense desire for office has fostered improper collusion between political leaders and high-ranking officials, who in turn support the questionable actions of their political patrons.
The report further reveals that to curb such malpractice and promote transparency, some members of the House of Representatives had proposed amendments to the Civil Service Bill introducing a two-year cooling-off period.
This was unanimously approved by the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee. However, the provision was rendered ineffective when the bill was passed in the House of Representatives, neglecting the cooling-off clause.
Comment