Kathmandu, October 5

The provincial and local governments will not be able to hire staff independently anytime soon, as the central government has delayed the process of introducing the template of the Provincial Public Service Commission Bill.

The template of the bill will work as a guideline for provinces to formulate their own public service commission bills. Once these public service commission bills are endorsed by provincial assemblies, each province can establish its own Public Service Commission. These provincial public service commissions can then hire civil servants as per the requirement of the concerned provinces and local bodies.

“We had forwarded the draft of the Model Provincial Public Service Commission Bill to the government last year. But it has not been forwarded to the Federal Parliament,” said Ashok Jha, a member of the Public Service Commission.

Since the Federal Parliament has already been adjourned and will convene only in winter, there is no way the ‘model bill’ can be introduced anytime soon.

The delay in introduction of the ‘model bill’ has prevented provinces from drafting provincial public service commission bills. Despite this, Province 2 and Province 5 have prepared the drafts of public service commission bills. But these provinces may have to make amendments to these drafts, which must include provisions incorporated in the template of the Provincial Public Service Commission Bill.

The template of the bill will basically spell out the relationship between the Federal Public Service Commission and public service commissions established in all seven provinces of the country. The template will also explain the structure of provincial public service commissions, steps that need to be taken at the time of hiring civil servants for provincial and local governments, and procedures that need to be followed to appoint commissioners who head the commissions.