KATHMANDU: Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has requested five to six days to discuss and resolve the remaining points of disagreement in the Civil Service Bill.
The request was made during a meeting of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee under the House of Representatives, held at Singha Durbar on Sunday.
The bill, which aims to make provisions regarding the formation, operation, and conditions of service of the Federal Civil Service, remains under debate due to differing views on key issues such as the age limit for retirement and the proposed two-year cooling period.
Minister Lekhak said the bill should be advanced through consensus and assured committee members that efforts will be made to reach a conclusion in the next meeting. He also noted that some delay in the discussion process should not lead to disappointment, as the committee is close to finding agreement on the critical provisions.
During the meeting, several committee members expressed their concern over complications in the bill. Maoist Centre MP Hitraj Pandey pointed out that despite extensive discussions, confusion still persists over the age limit and cooling period, and criticized changes made to previously agreed-upon provisions in the final draft report.
Nepali Congress MP Hridayram Thani recommended incorporating the suggestions made by the Public Service Commission, particularly regarding the two-year cooling period and retirement age, to move the bill forward.
Committee Chair Ramhari Khatiwada acknowledged the prolonged delay in finalizing the bill and stated that the next meeting should aim to conclude discussions by taking into account the majority view. He added that if consensus is not possible, the bill should still proceed based on parliamentary procedure.
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