KATHMANDU: Members of the State Affairs Committee of the Federal Parliament have insisted on keeping a two-year “cooling period” provision in the Civil Service Bill.
In a meeting held on Friday, lawmakers stressed that a civil servant or any government employee should not be eligible for appointment to constitutional or public posts until two years after their retirement.
During the discussion, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak urged committee members to endorse the “Bill to Make Provisions Regarding the Formation, Operation, and Conditions of Service of the Federal Civil Service, 2023.”
He highlighted the need for consensus on key issues, particularly the age limit and cooling period, pointing out that similar agreements had been reached in the past through mutual understanding.
Hitraj Pandey, Chief Whip of the CPN (Maoist Center), strongly advocated for maintaining at least a two-year waiting period before former government employees can assume any public role. Committee member Padam Pagri suggested that the bill should also include provisions for inter-provincial government coordination.
MP Buddhiman Tamang opposed the idea of allowing civil servants to form trade unions, arguing that it could undermine administrative discipline. Similarly, committee member Chitra Bahadur KC recommended that civil servants be allowed to teach outside of official working hours as a productive use of their skills.
The bill outlines a phased increase in the retirement age. It proposes that the age limit will be 58 years in the fiscal year when the law is enacted, 58 years and 6 months in the following fiscal year, 59 years and 6 months one year after that, and finally 60 years in the subsequent period.
The committee is expected to continue discussions before finalizing the draft of the bill.
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