Civil Service Bill: Chief Secretary, secretaries oppose two-year cooling period

KATHMANDU: Expressing dissatisfaction with the ‘cooling period’ provision in the Civil Service Bill, the Chief Secretary and other secretaries on Wednesday drew the attention of Speaker Devraj Ghimire and National Assembly Chairperson Narayan Prasad Dahal.

The State Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives recently passed the Civil Service Bill, which includes a two-year cooling period for civil servants retiring from high-ranking positions.

If the Bill is passed in its current form, civil servants cannot be appointed to constitutional, diplomatic, or political positions for two years after retirement.

Federal Parliament’s Secretary-General Padma Prasad Pandey said they drew the attention of the Speaker and National Assembly Chairperson as the provision is an insult to retired employees.

Pandey also argued that the Civil Service Act cannot govern employees who have already retired from service. “Although passed by the committee, the provision can still be amended during parliamentary discussions,” he added.