Kathmandu, March 6:

Civil servants today organised a sit-in on the premises of Ministry of General Administration (MoGA), demanding an immediate end to arbitrary and biased transfer of civil servants. This is the second ever protest of civil servants inside the Singha Durbar. The first demonstration was held during ex-king Gyanendra’s direct rule.

The MoGA has already transferred more than 2,600 civil servants. But different associations of civil servants have been asking the government to revoke the decision.

Punya Prasad Dhakal, general secretary of a civil servants’ organisation, said today’s protest was only a symbolic protest. “We will announce further protests if the government didn’t heed to our demands. The ministry is favouring civil servants close to the Unified Maoists,” he accused.

While the civil servants have been accusing the government of violating the Civil Service Act, the latter has been denying it.

The other demands

of civil servants are: Security for the civil servants, particularly to those working in the Tarai; timely amendment to rules and regulations regarding the civil servants and appropriate working environment. They have also demanded a scientific and work-based promotion system.