KATHMANDU, Aug 3: Even as the incumbent chief secretary to retire in five days, the government is still undecided about selection of a new chief secretary with the two major ruling parities locking horn over possible candidates.
Despite the practice among government officials of taking leave a month prior to the date of retirement, chief secretary Leela Mani Paudyal has been coming to office as the government is still undecided about a new candidate for the post.As the two ruling collation partners -- Nepali Congress and CPN-UML-- are bickering with each other over appointment of a candidate of their choice, the cabinet is still undecided.
"Chief secretary was likely to take leave from August 1. He will take leave when the government picks a candidate for the post. Otherwise, he will keep coming to the office till the last day of his retirement," an official close to Paudyal told Republica on Sunday.
As chief secretary is appointed from among current secretaries on the basis of seniority and work performance, three senior secretaries are vying for the post.
Secretary at the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development (MoFALD) Som Lal Subedi, Secretary at the Ministry of Industry Jay Mukunda Khanal and Secretary at the Ministry of Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation Shreedhar Gautam are vying for the post.
Sources said Secretary Subedi is backed by NC whereas UML is reportedly lobbying in favor of Khanal for the post of chief secretary.
Secretary Gautam is retiring because of age limit next year. The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) had last year directed the government not to promote him for not fulfilling his duties properly when he was secretary at Nepal Trust.
Sources said none of the ruling parties has backed Gautam's candidacy due to his bad record though he is the senior-most candidate for the post.
All three officials were promoted as secretaries on April 13, 2011.
It has also been learnt that secretary at the Ministry of Education who is close to NC has been lobbying for the chief secretary's post. But even NC leaders have been hesitating to lobby for him as he is the junior-most among the candidates in the race.
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