The UML should have waited until the next statute convention to amend the age bar
The CPN-UML Secretariat has suspended the age bar provision for the party leadership, as was provisioned by the party statute, in a bid to woo former party members who had left the organisation. As per the UML statute, anyone wishing to join the executive committee in the party structure must be below 70 years of age. However, an office bearer who attains the age of 70 after being elected to the post shall carry on with their job until the next general convention of the party. Following the suspension, Mukunda Neupane, now 73, who had deserted the UML to join the Madhav Nepal-led CPN (Unified Socialist), has been nominated to the Central Committee of the UML. Another senior leader, Bamdev Gautam, who is nearing 80, is also ready to return to the mother party now that the age bar has been suspended. There will be many more who will be returning to the UML fold in the future, turning its leadership into an old men's club.
While the age bar may have been suspended for convenience sake, it goes against the spirit of the statute convention held in October 2021, which endorsed crucial documents of the party, including the political report, organisational proposal and statute amendment proposal. It was decided that the executive committee members would be below 70 years of age at the time of being elected. The UML is the only party in the country that has held a statute convention to decide on its policy for the following four years before its general election, as it did two years ago before holding its 10th general convention in Chitwan two months later. Also, no other party has an age limit on the leadership, with Sher Bahadur Deuba close to 80 years remaining unchallenged as the president of the Nepali Congress. It would have been best for the UML to wait until the next statute convention to amend the provision on the age bar. By allowing the party secretariat to take such an important decision, it means its powers now supersede those of the statute convention.
Quite a big chunk of the UML leaders are in their sixties, who might be turning 70 or more by the time of the next general convention to be held in another two-and-a-half years. Hence, many of them, such as UML General-Secretary Shankar Pokharel, have welcomed the statute amendment. While it has been publicly said that the age bar provision was suspended to accommodate Neupane in the UML, political analysts think it is because UML chair KP Sharma Oli, 71, wants to remain in the leadership and, hopefully, become the prime minister once again. At a time when the general public is fed up with the old leadership who lack any vision for the country, it would be in the interest of the parties to hand over the leadership to a younger generation if they have any intention of winning the next general election. If the proceedings of the parliament are any guide, then it is the young members from the smaller parties that are ruling the roost. Parties such as the Rastriya Swatantra Party, Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Janamat Party and independents are likely to grow in numbers in the next general election, posing a strong challenge to the established parties. The days of the old leaders are definitely over.
Follow the rules
The Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration on Monday issued a directive to all the government employees not to make TikTok or other video messaging during the office hours. The ministry will take disciplinary action against those who are found making TikTok while in office with prescribed dress code, using office vehicles and within the office premises. The ministry has also barred the employees from making videos about the works related to office activities.
The government employees must set the rules by example, and they cannot deviate from their duties and responsibilities. In many cases, the government employees are also found to be engaged in activities other than reporting to their offices. They must maintain a high level of professionalism while in office.
The service seekers, mostly in the passport department, land revenue office, driving licence-issuing department and other offices, find it very difficult to get their services done in time. The government has announced it would fully implement online service, but the people are still forced to stand in queues to get their work done. The concerned department heads must ensure that the directive issued by the ministry is abided by all the employees without fail.
A version of this article appears in the print on June 14, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
