Govt threatens action against those opposed to adjustment

KATHMANDU, Jan 2: The parliament has endorsed the civil servants adjustment ordinance amid opposition by the Nepali Congress (NC) and Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP).

A meeting of the parliament on Tuesday endorsed the ordinance tabled by Minister for Federal Affairs and General Administration Lal Babu Pandit. The endorsement of the ordinance comes amid a section of civil servants taking to the streets, arguing that some of the provisions in the ordinance will serious hinder their career prospects in the long run.

NC lawmaker Gagan Thapa and NWPP lawmaker Prem Suwal had registered a motion objecting to the ordinance shortly after it was tabled in parliament on December 28. They had demanded that the government instead introduce a bill for adjusting the civil servants so that the parliament could discuss the bill in detail.

NC lawmaker Thapa had argued that the government would not be able to achieve desired results if civil servants are made to work against their will.

The motion of objection, however, was rejected by parliamentary majority.

Although the main opposition party, NC, was opposed to the ordinance, it remained neutral during the voting. Addressing the parliament on Tuesday, Minister for Federal Affairs and General Administration Lal Babu Pandit clarified that there are no provisions in the ordinance that limit career prospects of the civil servants.

Meanwhile, a section of civil servants are protesting against the new law and have decided not to fill the online applications for adjustment. But the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration issued a statement on Tuesday cautioning civil servants against flouting the law.

As some of the civil servants unhappy with the new law have been posting defamatory comments against Minister Pandit and top officials on social media platforms, the ministry said that it has been keeping such civil servants under watch and warned that they could face action as per the Civil Service Act 2049 BS, its regulations and the Electronic Transactions Act.

The ministry's statement has also urged civil servants to stop their protests and join the adjustment process.

 
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