The State Affairs Committee (SAC) under the Legislature Parliament has directed the government to abide by the existing acts and norms while taking crucial decisions on the appointment, promotion and transfer of civil servants.

A meeting of the parliamentary committee held at Singha Durbar Wednesday afternoon issued such an instruction to the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Physical Planning and Works after concluding that there were irregularities in the appointment, promotion and transfer of civil servants at the aforementioned two ministries. The committee has also asked the two ministries to submit a detailed report on all promotion and transfer of civil servants within the next 15 days.

The parliamentary committee has also directed all concerned ministries to adopt “transparent mechanism” while taking major decisions on the appointment, promotion and transfer of civil servants so as to create an environment where there is no possibility of any “political pressure” for the same.

Ram Nath Dhakal, chairman of SAC, said the committee has also called for a probe into all decisions of appointment and promotion of civil servants at the Ministry of General Administration in the past one year and annul them if they are found to be against existing law and norms.

The members of the parliamentary committee had at the meeting also expressed their serious concern over the increasing instances of transfer and promotion of civil servants under political pressure.

However, the ministers and secretaries of agriculture, physical planning and general administration ministries who were grilled during today’s meeting had denied allegations that civil servants were being forced to tender their resignations, have been transferred without following due process or that there has been any political pressure for the same. nepalnews.com