Nepal Faces Administrative Crisis: Government Moves to Dismiss Civil Servants Holding ‘DV’ and ‘PR’; Why Has This Issue Gained Attention?
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The government has begun the process to dismiss four civil service employees who have acquired permanent residency abroad, with investigations ongoing into other employees as well.
The Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives, Federal Affairs and General Administration has stated that government officials who have obtained permanent residency permits in foreign countries and have been absent from their offices for extended periods have been asked to provide explanations.
The ministry has indicated that disciplinary actions will be pursued against those employees, rendering them ineligible for future government service, and has given them 15 days to submit their responses.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of General Administration confirmed that other employees are also under investigation.
According to the Civil Service Act 2049 (1992), civil servants are prohibited from obtaining permanent residency abroad; doing so or initiating such processes results in disciplinary action.
What is the recent development?
Spokesperson Ekadev Adhikari from the Ministry of General Administration stated that dismissal processes have begun against government employees who traveled abroad on study leave and have stayed there.
He said, “If a civil servant obtains permanent residency abroad, according to our laws, that constitutes a punishable offense. Currently, based on information received by our ministry, four employees went abroad on study leave with scholarships and have since stayed abroad; because of their absence from the office, dismissal proceedings have been initiated.”
Spokesperson Adhikari added, “They will be given a chance to present their explanations, and based on that, dismissal or other actions will be taken.”
The fourth amendment to the Civil Service Act in 2072 BS (2015 AD) prohibits employees from holding Diversity Immigrant Visas (DV), Permanent Residency (PR), and Green Cards.
If an employee remains absent from office for more than 90 days without approved leave or fails to return within 30 days after sanctioned leave, dismissal is possible.
Officials from the Ministry of General Administration say obtaining permanent residency while in service is considered a punishable offense, and other employees are currently under investigation.
Spokesperson Adhikari said, “Information about other employees is also coming in. Disciplinary actions will be taken against those who have obtained PR or TR (temporary residency).”
When asked about the number of employees under investigation, he declined to specify, stating, “The investigation is ongoing. Facts need to be verified through diplomatic missions or government coordination abroad. Therefore, it is not appropriate to disclose numbers at this time.”
Employees With ‘PR’ Still Numerous
An initiative led by former Minister of General Administration Lalbabu Pandit also sought to remove employees holding DV and PR abroad from government positions.
Following amendments to the Civil Service Act, employees residing permanently abroad were declared ineligible for government service, prompting many resignations.
Former Public Service Commission Chairman Umesh Mainali stated that due to a lack of consistent policies, many employees still possess permanent residency abroad.
He explained, “When Lalbabu Pandit was minister, strict measures were enforced. Many employees intending to get promoted gave up their PR status at that time. But later, the situation deteriorated again. Even now, many employees hold PR and some are hiding it.”
The former Public Service head noted that despite the crackdown, the number of punished individuals remains low and said it is inappropriate to retain employees who lack loyalty to the country, though he stressed the need for consistent policy enforcement.
He also highlighted the difficulty in tracking government employees with foreign permanent residency and emphasized coordination among immigration and other agencies for effective monitoring.
“Information usually surfaces only after complaints; otherwise, it is noticed when an employee is absent for a long time. Detecting those who hold residency permits for family reasons or personal visits is even harder. Some individuals even use two different passports. This requires strict oversight,” he added.
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