KATHMANDU, JUNE 30

Scores of Nayab Subbas (non-gazetted first class officers) staged a protest in Singha Durbar today, demanding revision of the Federal Civil Service Bill passed by the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee of the House of Representatives.

The bill was endorsed by the house panel yesterday.

Stating that the bill had done injustice to non-gazetted first class officers, they demanded that it be revised without further delay. They also displayed placards with emotional slogans such as “Honourable lawmakers, didn’t you see tears in our eyes?” The protesters said the provisions stipulated in the bill were deliberately designed to jeopardise career of more than 35,000 non-gazetted first class officers.

They have also launched ‘Save Nayab Subba Campaign’ to pressure the government to meet their six-point demand. The bill, which will replaces the Civil Service Act-1993, if passed by both the houses of the Federal Parliament, stipulates a provision that vacancy of section officers (gazetted third class officers) shall be filled through open competition (80 per cent) and promotion (20 per cent).

Nayab subbas alleged that this provision would obstruct their promotion to the post of section officer.

The bill has also determined the age bar of 40 years for Nayab Subbas to vie for the post of section officer through open competition.

There was no age bar for Nayab Subbas aspiring to be promoted to the post of section officer. A press release issued by the campaign demanded that the government make provision of filling vacancy at the section officer level through open competition (50 per cent), promotion (30 per cent) and internal competition (20 per cent). “If a Nayab Subba is not promoted for 12 years in a row, s/he should be deemed eligible for promotion automatically,” read the release. They have also demand that the provision of age bar for Nayab Subbas vying for the post of section officer be scrapped.

“If the government tables the bill in both the houses of the Federal Parliament for its passage with a conspiracy to lower the morale of non-gazetted first class officers by devaluing their contribution, we will be compelled to resort to stern protest,” the release warned.

Meanwhile, the Authorised Trade Union of Civil Servants today organised a press conference to announce a series of protest programmes against the bill.

As part of the programmes, the trade union led a silent protest in Maitighar Mandala this evening.

It is submitting a letter of attention to the prime minister and Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota tomorrow. It will also submit a memorandum to the provincial and district administrative offices on July 2, distribute pamphlets in all government offices on July 3, interact with experts and the trade union on July 4 and work in offices by posting the charter of demands on their chests from July 5 onwards.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on July 1, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.