KATHMANDU, July 20

Experts from the administration sector on Monday demanded a separate act to make the civil servants responsible towards their duties.

Speaking at an interaction organised by Public Administration Association of Nepal in Kathmandu on Monday,  Umesh Prasad Mainali, president, Public Service Commission (PSC) said there was problem in service delivery due to contrasting instructions from the minister and secretary on the same issue confusing civil servants during implementation.

“Service delivery has become  ineffective due to two separate instructions from the minister and secretary in the same case,” said Mainali, who is also former secretary for Ministry of Home Affairs, adding, “This has direct impact on service seekers.”

He said civil servants will not have problems regarding their service to the public if the act clearly states whose direction is to be followed while conducting administrative works. “If the act defines the working mechanism of civil servants, they will be responsible towards their duties and work seriously during office hours,” he added.

Stating that PSC had earlier submitted suggestions to the chair of the Constituent Assembly, he said the suggestions had not been taken into account while drafting the constitution.

He said that after the country becomes a federal state, there will be separate government employees’ administration at the centre and the states, which will mess up the current system. “When the state adopts federal system, the mechanism for civil servants in the federal state should be loyal to central civil servant mechanism,” he added.

Kashi Raj Dahal, president of Administrative Court said there was no clear provision in the draft of the constitution to make the civil servant mechanism effective.

He said the current draft of constitution is more or less like a letter of agreement between political parties. “Thus it should be revised until it gets final shape,” he added.

Keshav Raj Panday, general secretary, PAAN, said there should be a provision in the constitution for establishing a Corruption Elimination Commission to look into graft cases of corruption. He said the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) should be developed as ‘ombudsman’ to look into cases of misuse of power.

He further said the provision of having PSC in each federal state to appoint civil servants would not be able to ensure fairness in appointment.

Dr Somlal Subedi, secretary, Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development said that decentralisation was not defined clearly in the draft constitution.

Krishna Hari Banskota, chief commissioner of the National Information Commission and president of PAAN said suggestions from experts will be presented at the CA soon.