Will there be an investigation into the deceit in the provision ‘cooling’ period?

Kathmandu – There has been widespread demand for an investigation into an error in the federal civil service bill passed by the House of Representatives that has effectively nullified the provision of a cooling-off period. All political parties in parliament are calling for a probe, citing a breach of parliamentary sovereignty due to deviations from the committee’s decision in the bill. In a competitive display, parties and leaders are vocally demanding an investigation and advocating for the prosecution of those responsible.

The cooling-off period, which did not align with Prime Minister KP Oli and senior administrators’ preferences, has become a contentious issue. According to the committee’s decision, section 82 of the bill has been amended. It requires employees who have resigned or retired to wait at least two years before accepting another government position. The provision states that a civil servant or any other government employee cannot be appointed to any constitutional or government post until two years have passed since their resignation or retirement.

Despite this, the bill’s section 82(5) allows appointments even before the two-year period, drawing considerable criticism. Opposition leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ stated that corrupt practices and interference in the bill would not be tolerated. He emphasized the need for an investigation and punitive action against those responsible, expressing commitment to preventing any conspiracy against the achievements of change.

The Congress party has also demanded an inquiry into the manipulations and deceptions in the bill. Spokesperson Prakash Sharan Mahat stated that the party supports the cooling-off period and insists on bringing those who have misused their positions to justice.

The ruling UML party has determined that there has been malpractice concerning the cooling-off provision. UML lawmaker Padam Giri, a member of the State Affairs Committee, suggested that those responsible should resign on moral grounds and face disciplinary action. UML Secretary Yogesh Bhattarai has called the incident a ‘serious and disgraceful crime,’ demanding a parliamentary investigation and strict punishment for those involved.

Despite the calls for investigation, Speaker Devraj Ghimire distanced himself from immediate corrective measures, suggesting the National Assembly should address the issue instead. Ghimire stated that, as the committee’s report had been approved by parliament, there was no parliamentary error.

Former parliamentary officials have critiqued Ghimire’s stance as an intervention in the legislature’s domain. They argue that the situation requires immediate correction rather than deferring responsibility to the National Assembly. Meanwhile, parliamentary secretariat members acknowledged the bill’s inconsistencies during report preparation but lacked serious investigation and corrective measures.

State Affairs and Governance Committee Chair Ram Hari Khatiwada, who holds responsibility, publicly endorsed the need for investigation. He deemed the alteration a severe and unforgivable mistake, diverging from the committee-approved federal civil service bill’s core intent.

Meanwhile, Minister of General Administration Rajkumar Gupta accused Khatiwada of prematurely submitting the bill without additional deliberations as promised. In discussions with Speaker Ghimire, committee secretary Suraj Dura admitted there had been a lapse, as disclosed by a participating lawmaker.