Preamble and title of Federal Civil Service Bill approved by parliamentary committee

Kathmandu: The State Affairs and Good Governance Committee under the House of Representatives has approved the preamble and title of the Federal Civil Service Bill, which outlines provisions for the formation, operation, and service conditions of Nepal’s federal civil service.

In a meeting held today, the committee discussed the draft report and endorsed a proposal to revise key terms in the bill’s preamble. Specifically, the word “accountable” was replaced with “people-responsive, inclusive, transparent, result-oriented, and technology-friendly”. Additionally, the term “good governance-oriented” was retained without modification.

With these changes, the preamble now emphasizes the aim of developing a federal civil service that is committed to national interest and the federal democratic republic, while being politically neutral, professionally competent, strong, service-oriented, inclusive, and aligned with good governance principles.

The committee also approved a proposal to update the bill’s name, changing the year from 2080 to 2082 in line with the Nepali calendar.

The committee also endorsed a provision allowing the suspension of pensions for retired civil servants found guilty of corruption by a court of law.

However, not all discussions reached consensus. The CPN (Maoist Centre) expressed reservations on several points, including the proposed cooling-off period, the designation of additional secretaries, and veterinary service rankings.

Committee member and Maoist Centre Chief Whip Hitraj Pandey objected to the one-year cooling-off period and advocated for a minimum two-year term. He also opposed the creation of the additional secretary post and called for an eighth-level designation in veterinary services.

While most lawmakers support including a cooling-off period, opinions remain divided on its duration.

During the meeting, lawmakers also raised concerns regarding the 10-point demand issued by employee trade unions, stressing that the committee must take the concerns seriously. Representatives of the Civil Servants Trade Union have issued a 72-hour ultimatum, threatening protest action if their demands are not addressed.

The committee concluded the meeting by deciding to continue discussions on unresolved issues and to move forward with the gradual passage of the bill’s draft report.