A bill once hailed as a milestone reform in Nepal’s bureaucratic governance has now plunged Parliament into controversy, after it emerged that a critical provision meant to curb political favouritism was quietly diluted before its passage.
The Civil Service Bill, which the House of Representatives endorsed on Sunday, June 29, had received praise for its proposed two-year “cooling-off period” for retired or resigned civil servants. The goal was to prevent high-ranking officials from immediately transitioning into political, constitutional, or diplomatic appointments—a practice long criticised for enabling backdoor lobbying and eroding public trust.
Clause 82 (4) of the bill clearly stated that “a civil servant or any government employee who has resigned or retired from service shall not be eligible for appointment to any constitutional or government position until two years have passed from the date of retirement.”
However, a separate clause—Clause 82 (5)(a)—inserted into the bill and overlooked by many lawmakers during its passage, has rendered that provision largely ineffective. The clause exempts constitutional, diplomatic, and other appointments made by the government from the two-year restriction. In effect, the very positions that had raised concerns about post-retirement lobbying were left untouched by the restriction.
The revelation has sparked a political storm, with lawmakers accusing one another of negligence, bad faith, or worse. Ramhari Khatiwada, the Nepali Congress MP who chairs the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee—which finalised the bill—has come under intense scrutiny. Some have alleged that the controversial exemption was inserted under his watch.
Khatiwada has denied wrongdoing and insisted that the clause passed by his committee was 82 (4), which had no such exemptions. He has called on House Speaker Devraj Ghimire to launch an investigation and urged the National Assembly to rectify the error before the bill proceeds to presidential assent.
“If anyone, including myself, is found guilty of altering the bill, they must face action,” Khatiwada said.
The Rashtriya Swatantra Party, the fourth-largest party in Parliament, has demanded Khatiwada’s resignation, citing gross negligence and breach of legislative trust.
The incident has also revived public concern over political interference in the bureaucracy. Senior civil servants, including secretaries, had openly lobbied against the “cooling-off” requirement, fearing it would block a well-trodden path into post-retirement influence.
Former Prime Minister and CPN (Maoist Centre) leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal was among those calling for a thorough inquiry. “It’s a conspiracy,” Dahal said.
